SAMUEL CRESS, DDS
O
MYOFUNCTIONAL APPLIANCE THERAPY & THE
TREATMENT OF OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA
ral Appliance Therapy (OAT)
and Mandibular Advancement
Devices (MAD) are used for the
treatment of Obstructive Sleep
Apnea (OSA) with successful
results. Usually, appliance
therapy involves holding
the jaw and tongue in an
anterior position resulting in
an open airway thus reducing
the number of apneic and
hypopnic events. Maintaining
this forward position for an
average of 7 hours per night,
365 days a year may inflict
trauma to the TMJ, stretching
musculature, and resulting in
malocclusion.
The tongue is a sizeable
contributor to OSA. What
do we know about the
human tongue’s role in the
oral cavity? The tongue
provides a crucial role in
chewing and swallowing
food. It also enables speech
and vocalization in humans.
How does it do that? The
tongue is totally trainable. In
fact, that’s how we learn to
speak. The process involves
a complex coordination of
moving air from our lungs
in synchronization with the
larynx, palate, jaw, tongue,
and lips to form vowels and
consonants that express
sounds that are a translation
of thoughts originating in the
neural network of the brain.
What if a new approach is
taken to “train” the tongue
to stay in a specific position
during sleep while at the
same time maintaining airway
patency? The science of
“tongue training” is known
as Myofunctional therapy.
Myofunctional therapy is an
area of dentistry that focuses
on normalizing the space
in the oral cavity by ‘re-
educating’ or ‘re-patterning’
the oral and facial muscles,
primarily the tongue. If we
are able to hold the jaw in
a natural and comfortable
position and train the tongue
to stay forward we have
achieved the same result
for the treatment of OSA
without some potential side-
effects such as TMD and
malocclusion.
the mandible in an anterior
position, the Meridian PM
integrates Myofunctional
therapy into the treatment for
OSA. The Meridian PM holds
the jaw in its natural and
comfortable position while
training the tongue to stay
forward in its proper position.
The Meridian PM provides an
excellent, effective treatment
option for OSA that translates
to improved overall quality of
health.
SAMUEL CRESS, DDS
Meridian PM
The Meridian PM represents
a revolutionary development
in OAT. Unlike traditional
oral appliances that maintain
an open airway by holding
Samuel E. Cress, D.D.S.,
director of The Center for
Craniofacial & Dental Sleep
Medicine in Sugar Land, TX.
He completed his Doctorate
of Dental Surgery from
the University of Texas
Health Science Center, San
Antonio, Dental Branch. Dr.
Cress also completed his
residency in Dental Sleep
Medicine at Tufts University
School of Dental Medicine in
Boston and his residency in
TMD through the American
Academy of Craniofacial Pain.