The first digitally produced oral appliances for deep, restful sleep

Around every tenth adult in Germany suffers from dangerous pauses in breathing while they sleep. Those affected are often prescribed a mask that they have to wear at night – not a very pleasant procedure. But a treatment appliance can often help. It shifts the lower jaw forward and prevents the airways from closing during sleep. This has been proven in several clinical trials.

There is a completely new option of digitally imaging the entire process of what is known as obstructive sleep apnea to producing the appliance. The SICAT Air 3D software makes this possible. With this software, the dentist can precisely analyze the patient's airways in an x-ray volume image – and then make an individual treatment plan. This planning also takes the temporomandibular joints and bite movements into consideration so that no stress is exerted there. On the basis of this data, a dentist can then order the appliances from SICAT‘s central production facility in Bonn. The great advantage for the patient is that the uncomfortable impression-taking process is no longer necessary and the appliance is available at his next appointment – which is not always the case for other methods.

Suitable treatment for many patients

The need for solutions such as this is evident from the number of those affected, which is greater than frequently assumed. The HSL sleep laboratory in Heidelberg estimates that two to four percent of adults are affected by this condition. In middle to old age, the frequency is between 15 and 19 percent in men and between 9 and 15 percent in women. Overweight is also a risk factor. The problem is that people who suffer from breathing interruptions at night wake up stressed the next morning. This not only increases the risk of an accident, but also the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and many other disorders. The mandibular protrusion appliance can provide considerable relief in many cases. This has been proven in studies.

About SICAT

SICAT is an innovative company founded in 2004 as a joint venture between HICAT GmbH, a spin-off of the caesar research center, and Sirona Dental Systems GmbH. Working in threedimensional imaging with a selection of products and solutions for dental implantology, functional diagnostics and treatment, as well as oral & maxillofacial surgery, SICAT focuses on the development of user-friendly and cost-effective software and hardware.

Due to the different approval and registration times, not all products are immediately available in all countries.