SomnoDent Herbst Advance: ADVANCED COMFORT, ENHANCED CONTROL, AND FEWER RESETS
The SomnoDent Herbst Advance features a visual calibration indicator for the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), giving dentists and their patients greater control over OSA therapy. Available in Classic and Flex, the intraoral device features a hinge mechanism that is more comfortable in the patient’s mouth, making it easier to remain compliant. Dr. Erika Mason, a specialist in sleep dentistry, tells us why this appliance is not only a game-changer in her practice, but a life-changer for her patients.
Patients with OSA syndrome often feel defeated. They’re sometimes browbeaten by the sleep physicians because of not being able to tolerate their continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for myriad reasons. Then they hear about an oral device like SomnoDent Herbst Advance and think, “How is that going to work? It seems too simple and easy.” The challenge is to hope that they will stick with it long enough to see the benefits. If we try a temporary device, they are too bulky and might not be comfortable. A custom-fabricated appliance like SomnoDent Herbst Advance is comfortable and fits the best, but until the patient tries it, sometimes it’s hard to convince them that it’s going to work.
The SomnoDent Herbst Advance is much more than a “piece of plastic.” We take over an hour to take the necessary impressions and measurements before we send it out for fabrication. We take 45 minutes to deliver and make sure the oral appliance fits correctly and is comfortable. Then we follow up with the patient at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and every year to make sure the appliance is working well.
Patients are usually thrilled that the SomnoDent Herbst Advance is small and portable, and they don’t need distilled water or electricity to use it. They can go camping, hiking, and travel easily with this dental orthotic. They don’t get stopped by TSA at the airport. It is really wonderful for these patients to not be tethered to the side of the bed, not to have strap marks on their face, and to be able to sleep in any position.
I have to help patients understand that this appliance looks worse than it feels—that the metal arms are not uncomfortable and they move freely in their cheek. The appearance may not help people gravitate to the SomnoDent Herbst Advance, but the visual calibration indicator on the side does help patients see where their appliance is set and if the arms are even on each side. Most of the other Herbst appliances on the market don’t have that capability.
Case in Point
We had a patient who was retired and on medications that made him sleepy. He really could not wear the CPAP. When we got him sleeping with his SomnoDent Herbst Advance, he could not believe the difference that he felt. He had so much energy and a reason to get up each morning. His wife was happier because he was an easier man to live with. His kids stopped teasing him about his snoring keeping them up all night! That “little piece of plastic” turned this man’s life around; he’s a different person.
I have many similar stories of changing patients’ lives with oral appliances like the SomnoDent Herbst Advance. It is so enjoyable to be in this field and to not only prevent patients from having a heart attack or stroke or dying in their sleep, but also to improve their quality of life and have patients start sleeping with their spouses again. To see a difference in their personality, to see they are happier and are not so tired and weary—that they have a spring in their step and hold their head a bit higher, that is what makes my day!
About the Doctor
Erika Mason, DDS
Dr. Mason provides general dentistry and progressive dental techniques, including treatment of sleep apnea and short-term orthodontics, all with the aid of the most advanced technology. She is the past president of the Virginia Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, as well as a member of ACEsthetics, the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, and numerous other professional organizations devoted to sleep dentistry. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth’s University School of Dentistry, Dr. Mason serves individuals and families throughout Richmond, Midlothian, and Central Virginia.
