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The Silent Nite® 3D Sleep Appliance: Simplified Airway Management

April 29, 2024
Author
Danielle Brown, DDS image
Danielle Brown, DDS
The Silent Nite® 3D Sleep Appliance: Simplified Airway Management

With approximately 39 million adults in the United States suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), many dentists have added the treatment of sleep-disordered breathing to the list of services they provide.1 Treatment with oral appliances is effective for patients with sleep-disordered breathing and has a compliance rate of 90% over a two-and-a-half-year period.2 While there are several mandibular advancement devices (MAD) on the market, the new Silent Nite® 3D Sleep Appliance from Glidewell takes advantage of digital technology to create a better appliance for your patients. The 3D-printing process creates a more precise fit for patients in need of airway management and offers a more efficient workflow for the clinicians who have gone digital.

CASE REPORT

Figure 1

Figure 1: As with all my patients, screening for sleep-related breathing disorders is part of the initial exam. This patient’s reported history of snoring led me to recommend that she see a physician for a definitive diagnosis of her breathing disorder.

Figure 2

Figure 2: Following the provisional mandibular advancement device (PMAD) protocol, we discussed and completed the informed consent document. I then proceeded to fit her for an appliance so that her treatment wouldn’t be delayed.

Figure 3a
Figure 3b

Figures 3a, 3b: I performed a full maxillary and mandibular scan using the fastscan.io™ Scanning Solution. I made sure to scan at least 3 mm gingival to all teeth to enable optimal design of the appliance and ensure mechanical retention.

Figure 4a
Figure 4b

Figures 4a, 4b: I captured a protruded bite registration using the protrusion gauge (Glidewell Direct; Irvine, Calif.). I first recorded the patient’s bite in centric occlusion and then the patient’s maximum jaw protrusion. It’s important to avoid using cotton rolls when capturing the bite, as it tends to produce discrepancies. I set the patient’s bite halfway between the centric and maximum protrusion limits and scanned the bite bilaterally at this position. From my fastscan.io portal, I sent the scans and bite information to Glidewell.

STEPS REQUIRED TO FILL OUT YOUR DIGITAL CASE SUBMISSION WITH THE FASTSCAN.IO™ SCANNING SOLUTION

STEP 1: Fill out the patient’s information.

Step 1: Fill out the patient's information

STEP 2: Select the arch or arches.

Step 2: Select the arch or arches

STEP 3: Select the product.

Step 3: Select the product
Figure 5a
Figure 5b
Figure 5c

Figures 5a–5c: The appliance was shipped to me after three days in the lab. I fitted the appliance in the patient’s mouth one arch at a time and made sure there was no hindrance to comfortable seating. I then checked for soreness or strained protrusion. I explained the post-care instructions, including use of an AM Aligner® (Glidewell Direct; Irvine, Calif.) and maintenance of the connectors. The titration trees make it possible for the patient to adjust the appliance at home, minimizing chair time. I then asked the patient to practice insertion and removal under my supervision. Finally, I scheduled a follow-up appointment to verify the effectiveness of the device and to provide any needed adjustment.

CONCLUSION

There are many sleep appliances to choose from, but I prescribed the Silent Nite 3D appliance for this case because of its simplified, digital workflow. 3D-printed appliances also have lower remake rates, which benefits both the clinician and patient. The Silent Nite 3D appliance is 3D printed in the lab from a resin that was tested by the Research & Development team at Glidewell. The increased speed and accuracy of the digital impression, design software and 3D-printing process ensured this case met the demands of the patient.

AM Aligner is a registered trademark of Airway Technologies, LLC.

References

  1. Ling V. Sleep apnea statistics and facts you should know [Internet]. The National Council on Aging. National Council on Aging; [modified 2023 Oct 4]. [cited 2024 Feb 28] Available from: https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/sleep/sleep-apnea-statistics.

  2. Yoshida K. Effects of a mandibular advancement device for the treatment of sleep apnea syndrome and snoring on respiratory function and sleep quality. Cranio. 2000 Apr;18(2):98-105.