Tongue Retaining Devices for Mild Apnea Symptom Relief
If your tongue tends to fall backward during sleep, obstructing breathing, a tongue retaining device (TRD) can help. This customizable oral appliance holds the tongue forward to keep airways clear all night.
While less common than mandibular advancement devices (MADs), TRDs offer a simplified yet effective therapy for select individuals experiencing mild apnea or snoring.
Let’s explore how TRDs work and what types of sleep-disordered breathing they treat best. Regaining restful respiration is as easy as keeping your tongue where it belongs!
Understanding the Tongue’s Role in Airway Collapse
When throat and tongue muscles relax into sleep, soft tissues can crowd and block the pharyngeal airway. Signs this occurs include:
- Snoring or apneic breathing only in certain positions, like when supine.
- Being diagnosed with mild or positional obstructive sleep apnea.
- Having an enlarged tongue or small jaw structure.
TRDs treat the root issue: tongue prolapse into the airway. The custom-fit oral device gently holds the tongue forward using comfortable suction or pressure, preventing collapse. TRDs are indicated when tongue displacement appears the primary cause of sleep-disordered breathing.
How Tongue Retaining Devices Work
Worn only during sleep, TRDs have a simple concept but personalized design:
- The appliance fits snugly against the anterior teeth.
- A soft, flexible bulb holds the tongue forward via suction or light pressure. This prevents the tongue from falling backward.
- Air holes allow breathing and swallowing. Saliva drainage prevents buildup.
- The custom fit and materials provide comfort for nightly wear.
By holding the tongue position stable, TRDs open and maintain the pharyngeal airway’s patency. This prevents the airway from crowding and collapse triggering snoring and obstructive events.
Optimal Candidates for Tongue Retaining Therapy
Tongue-retaining devices work best for:
- Mild to moderate sleep apnea or loud snoring. They may be inadequate for severe cases.
- Positional apnea correlated with supine tongue collapse. Side-sleeping may prevent this.
- Patients who are hesitant about mandibular advancement and who want a simplified oral device.
- Those with dental implants or TMJ shouldn’t undergo jaw repositioning with MADs.
- Children and patients with small jaw structures are prone to airway crowding.
- Temporary therapy for pregnancy-related snoring and mild apnea.
With proper selection, TRD benefits include reducing apnea events, restoring oxygen levels, eliminating snoring, and improving sleep quality. Their simplified nature promotes comfortable nightly use.
Bid Farewell to Tongue Obstruction!
If your pesky tongue tends to obstruct restful respiration, give TRD therapy a try! Our sleep specialists at Snoring and Sleep Solutions of Nevada, help determine if a tongue-retaining device offers the right solution for your anatomy and apnea severity. With an easy yet effective remedy, peaceful slumber is just a suction away.
