David B. Rosen, D.M.D.- Practice Limited to Periodontics & Dental Implants
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David B. Rosen, D.M.D.- Practice Limited to Periodontics & Dental Implants
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Tongue Retaining Devices
The TRD is found to be most useful in patients with very large tongues, poor dental health, no teeth, chronic joint pain, or if their sleep apnea is worse when lying on their backs than when they lie on their sides at night.
Patient Wearing TRD
Patients complain most often about irritation on the tip of their tongue (which can be painful, or cause irritation to spicy and salty foods). Patients also require practice in swallowing with the appliance in-place, because the tongue cannot move in its normal pattern. This appliance also forces nasal breathing and can be difficult to use if the patient has a stuffy nose or allergies. One form of this appliance comes with "breathing tubes" on either side of the front bubble, but no research has been done using this form of the appliance.
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The Tongue Retaining Device was first developed by a physician in 1979. It is a
bubble shaped device made of soft polyvinyl. The patient's teeth rest in custom
fitted grooves which are extended to form a 'bubble' that sticks out from
between the lips. The patient positions his teeth in the grooves, sticks his
tongue forward into the bubble until suction grabs and hold the tongue in place.
This appliance
cannot be used by people who are tongue-tied, so overweight that they are more
than 50 percent above their ideal body weight, grind their teeth at night, or
have chronically stuffy noses.
The TRD works
best when patient combine it with "behavioral changes" such as
weight loss and a sleeping on their sides, (avoiding sleeping on their
backs). This is the only appliance that works consistently well in patients
who have no teeth.