What is a mandibular advancement device?

Video Overview

Hello, I am Doctor Mark Abramson. I am a dentist who practices in both Redwood City and Monterey California. With my practice limited to treating the special needs of patients with TMJ, oral facial pain and sleep apnea. I am board certified by the American Academy of Oral Facial Pain, the American Academy of Pain Management and the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. I have been practicing for 35 years. What is a mandibular advancement device? The mandibular advancement device is simply a mouthpiece that’s worn at night while you are sleeping to keep your airway open and keep it from collapsing over and over again as happens with people with sleep apnea. It's very similar to what one would use with retainer after orthodontics or sometimes people have splints that they use to keep themselves from clenching and bruxing at night. So it’s just worn while you sleep. I am going to show as we pull the jaw open we pull and open the back of the throat which keeps the airway from collapsing at night. So that’s all the appliance will do, stabilize the jaw very similar to what we do when we do CPR on a patient.