This is appliance belongs to a new type of treatment that stimulates reflexes in the jaw muscles similar to when a doctor taps your knee and your leg jumps up. With elements in the design there are four reflexes that are stimulated when it is worn. Two of the reflexes cause the mandible and the tongue to protrude forward removing the tongue from the back of the throat, pending the airway. The other two suppress or prevent the mandible and tongue from being pulled back into the throat, again protecting the airway. The end result is an appliance that rests in a position that the body accepts very easily. There is little or no pressure on the appliance as the jaw wants to be in this position. And less advancement is needed once the reflexes are activated.
The materials used in then appliance were carefully selected to be hypoallergenic and are materials that are commonly used in dentistry. In over 4000 appliances, no allergic reactions were reported.
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The upper appliance has pads over the teeth and a chrome cobalt frame. There is a retainer wire in front of the upper teeth to prevent forward movement and to guide the patient when placing the appliance. There are acrylic pads over the teeth that protect the teeth and retain the appliance in place. The acrylic over the teeth creates a softer contact surface than the metal and is easily adjusted.
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The lower appliance also has pads over the teeth and a chrome cobalt frame. There is a retainer wire in front of the lower teeth to prevent flaring and a cast metal surface on the inside of the lower teeth. This prevents shifting of the teeth.
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The lower appliance has wings that contact adjustable blocks on the upper appliance. This holds the lower jaw forward while allowing the patient to open their mouth to talk or drink water without removing the appliance. The wings are specially designed to hold the jaw forward, even if your mouth falls open when sleeping. There is no need for elastics to hold the mouth shut. In normal sleep the jaw moves around and the patient will gently grind the teeth. This appliance allows for that.
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There is no material in the front of the mouth and, if needed, there are no restrictions on mouth breathing. In an emergency, a patient can evacuate without risk of aspiration into the lungs, without removing the appliance. The open design also provides a place for the tongue to rest as the appliance stimulates a series of reflexes that hold the jaw and tongue forward.
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The wing/block design of the appliance allows wide opening while still keeping the lower jaw forward. The unique patented wing design holds the lower jaw in a forward positioning even if the mouth falls open during sleep. This is a patented innovation of the Luco Hybrid OSA Appliance.
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The lifespan any oral appliance is limited by the materials it is made out of. Acrylic has a lifespan of 3-5 years whereas chrome cobalt has a lifespan exceeding 20 years. By reinforcing the acrylic with chrome cobalt, the lifespan of the Luco Hybrid OSA appliance is extended to more than any other currently available. Some of the original appliances are over 10 years old with the original acrylic still in use! It is recommended however that you have the acrylic updated every 4-5 years as saliva has enzymes/chemicals in it that affect the acrylic.
Breakage is another serious concern with OSA appliances as small pieces of acrylic can break off and become aspirated into the lungs (a large number of OSA patients sleep on their backs). The Luco hybrid is very strong and breakage is extremely rare. The reinforcement in all the high stress areas effectively controls clenching and bruxism (this appliance can be used for treating severe sleep-related bruxism as well). The forward bite (protected by patent 9,545,332 B2) directs bite forces away from the TMJ protecting these delicate structures.
Sleep-related bruxism is another area where many OSA appliances may have their lifespan shortened. Grinding on the acrylic causes stress fractures and eventual breakages. with small or large pieces coming loose in the patients mouth while sleeping. This is dangerous as these loose pieces could enter into the airway and the lungs. The Luco Hybrid appliance was first used to treat severe TMD cases while sleeping. These patients all grind at night. Adding the cast mesh into the pads helped but the patients still ground their teeth. When this design was implemented, patients reported significantly improved comfort while sleeping and relaxed jaws in the morning. This appliance can be used to treat advanced TMD cases such as stabilizing closed locks, chronic myofascial pain patients, and patients with severe whiplash injuries (the jaw muscles are integrated with the cervical or neck muscles and each can affect the other)
Patented Forward Bite Position
The appliance is designed with a forward bite positioning (protected by US patent D759,824). This reduces sleep bruxism in both intensity and in frequency. Patients who suffer from primary sleep bruxism benefit greatly from this appliance. Patients who suffer from OSA and sleep bruxism gain the benefit of treating both conditions concurrently.
In Canada, Australia and the European Union, the Luco Hybrid OSA Appliance is registered for the treatment of Sleep Related Bruxism in addition to mild to moderate sleep apnea and primary snoring. Currently, this is the only appliance available that is registered for the treatment of Sleep Related Bruxism. Some can withstand the additional pressures of SRB, but only the Luco Hybrid is registered to treat it.
If you are a patient who has been diagnosed with primary snoring and/or mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea or if you suffer from the effects of sleep related bruxism, and you are interested in trying a Luco Hybrid OSA Appliance, contact your dentist and discuss this with him/her. Please note that it is not currently FDA cleared for sleep bruxism in the USA.
This appliance can be ordered currently by any dentist in the USA, Canada or the European Union. Your dentist can contact us and we will provide him/her with all the information necessary for ordering
