Apparatus and methods for treatment of conditions including obstructive sleep apnea and snoring
First Claim
1. A method for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and/or snoring comprising the steps of:
- identifying an individual that suffers from at least one condition selected from the group consisting of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring;
separating the intermaxillary suture of the individual; and
maintaining the separation until a gap formed thereby is occupied by new bone growth and an intermaxillary suture is reformed, resulting in an increased nasal airway volume.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for the treatment of conditions including obstructive sleep apnea and/or snoring resulting from excessive nasal airway resistance are disclosed. A rapid maxillary expansion device (10) is fitted to teeth (12, 14) of the upper jaw, and by operation of the jack screw (20), the maxilla is expanded such that, usually, the intermaxillary suture opens. The expansion is maintained until the maxilla stabilizes, for example by new bone growth along the suture. In this way the minimum cross-sectional area of the nasal cavity increases, reducing nasal airway resistance and curing, or at least ameliorating, obstructive sleep apnea and/or snoring.
86 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and/or snoring comprising the steps of:
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identifying an individual that suffers from at least one condition selected from the group consisting of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring;
separating the intermaxillary suture of the individual; and
maintaining the separation until a gap formed thereby is occupied by new bone growth and an intermaxillary suture is reformed, resulting in an increased nasal airway volume. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 14)
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4. A method for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and/or snoring comprising the steps of:
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identifying an individual that suffers from at least one condition selected from the group consisting of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring;
securing an expansion device between opposed sides of the upper jaw of the individual;
expanding the expansion device to cause orthopaedic displacement of opposed sides of the upper jaw to achieve separation of the intermaxillary suture; and
maintaining the separation until the gap formed thereby is occupied by new bone growth and intermaxillary suture is reformed.- View Dependent Claims (5, 7, 8)
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6. A method as claimed in 4, whereby the expansion device is secured to one or more of the posterior teeth on opposed sides of the upper jaw.
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9. A method for the treatment of the pathophysiological effects of mouth breathing resulting from maxillary constriction, the method comprising the steps of:
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laterally expanding the maxilla; and
maintaining the maxillary expansion until a stable state of the maxilla is established.
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10. A method for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and/or snoring comprising the steps of:
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identifying an individual that suffers from at least one condition selected from the group consisting of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring;
laterally expanding the maxilla of the individual; and
maintaining the maxillary expansion until a stable state of the maxilla is established. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and/or snoring comprising the steps of:
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identifying an individual that suffers from at least one condition selected from the group consisting of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring;
laterally distracting the maxillae of the individual; and
maintaining the distraction until a stable state of the maxillae is established. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea comprising the steps of:
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identifying an individual that suffers from at least one condition selected from the group consisting of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring;
separating the intermaxillary suture of the individual, the separation of the intermaxillary suture being surgically facilitated; and
maintaining the separation until a gap formed thereby is occupied by new bone growth and an intermaxillary suture is reformed, resulting in an increased nasal airway volume. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A method for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and/or snoring comprising the steps of:
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identifying an individual that suffers from at least one condition selected from the group consisting of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring;
performing and maintaining maxillary expansion on the individual until a stable state of the maxilla and decreased nasal airway resistance are achieved in the individual. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification