Clinical Significance
The TRM system stabilizes the orofacial system and provides biofeedback through an oral shield worn during sleep. The symptoms in primary snorers who were not obese were reduced, indicating that TRM provided a significant
Hands OnTongue-repositioning maneuver
Section snippets
Background
Primary snoring is defined as snoring associated with changes in the caliber of the upper airway, causing reduced flow and increased airway resistance but no clinical symptoms or sleep disruption. Snoring should be diminished by displacing the tongue anteriorly, which tends to compensate for inadequate activity of the pharyngeal opening muscles. Use of tongue-retaining devices may reduce the time of loud snoring that occurs during sleep. Mandibular position can also influence the patency of the
Methods
A total of 125 individuals with primary snoring were treated. Of these, 101 were men and 24 women. Mean body mass index (BMI) was 28.1 for the men and 26.8 for the women. TRM training was used to achieve a closed biofunctional rest position for the orofacial system and to retrain the participants in nasal breathing patterns. Pressure-indicating membrane funnel shields were used for home exercises to provide biofeedback and support nocturnal closing of the mouth. The loudness of the snoring was
Results
Before treatment the bed partner ranking for snoring was 8.4, whereas after treatment it had reduced to 4.1. Subjects with a normal body weight (BMI between 18.5 and 25) had a marked improvement in snoring related to the treatment. Improved symptoms were also obtained with the overweight group, but no significant influence was noted among subjects whose BMI indicated they were in the obese range.
Discussion
Patients who had normal body weight benefited significantly from the TRM training. Their snoring was markedly reduced after training, indicating their oral status responded to the exercises. However, patients who were obese had no such reduction in snoring.
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Engelke W, Engelhardt W, Mendoza-Gärtner M, et al: Functional treatment of snoring based on the tongue-repositioning manoeuvre. Eur J Orthod 32:490-495, 2010
Reprints available from W Engelke, Dept of Maxillofacial Surgery, Georg August Univ Göttingen, Robert Koch St 40, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany; e-mail: [email protected]
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