Part 2: Shift Happens
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is an intermittent collapse of the tongue into the uniquely at-risk human pharynx during sleep that disrupts breathing and con-tributes to numerous morbid long-term health consequences. OSA has been found amenable to treatment by dental prostheses that reposition the anatomic parts of the head, neck and pharynx. By initially registering a specific stable multidimensional mandibular interarch relationship in the mouth, an intra-oral mechanical stent fabricated as close as possible to a position of optimal pharyngeal dilation serves to prevent collapse of the tongue and preserve patency in the upper airway.
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