Up to 40 % of the population in industrialized countries snore. The decreasing muscle tone during the sleep causes a norrowing of the upper respiratory tract. This narrowing accelerates the respiratory airflow, thereby various structures in the area of the upper respiratory tract start to vibrate and cause the snoring noise. So snoring is a mechanical process that can be counteracted mechanically. Here the dental therapy comes into action. Light or primary snoring do not have consequences on health whereas the rhonchopathy, the abnormal snoring, does.

Sleep apnea is, at a certain level of severity, a serious disease that may cause not only sleepiness during the day but also serious systemic diseases. The apnea is a total respiratory stop. The obstructive apnea is a complete occlusion of the respiratory tract whereas in case of the central apnea the central respiratory reflex arrests. The hypopnea is a reduction of the respiratory flow by more than 50 %. The apnea/hypopnea index, AHI is the degree of the severity of the disease. An apnea/hypopnea lasts at least 10 sec. The apneas per hour are counted, 10 apneas per hour result in an index of 10. An index of 0 to 5 is normal, 5 to 10 is a light, 10 to 20 a median range and more than 20 a severe disease. An obstructive apnea is characterized by an interruption of the very noisy snoring (rhonchopathy). The central apnea, however, has no external signs.

The Silensor-sl consists of one splint for the upper jaw and one splint for the lower jaw. The lower jaw is either held in a predetermined position or advanced by 2 connectors that are fixed laterally to the splint. The Silensor-sl thus counteracts the narrowing of the respiratory tracts. The velocity of the inspired air decreases and so do noise-generating vibrations of the soft tissues. With the Silensor-sl jaw movements are possible but no falling back of the lower jaw. With this function the Silensor-sl is a comfortable and at the same time effective snoreguard. Clinical tests have shown that the advancement of the lower jaw considerably reduces snoring at more than 80 % of the patients and may reduce the apnea index at up to 50 %.