Abstract: A method and apparatus for treatment of sleep apnea employs bone screws implanted into a patient's anterior maxillary bone above and posterior to the cuspids, and posterior mandibular bone below and between any of the posterior teeth. Elastics are stretched between the maxillary and mandibular bone screws to exert forces to bias the mandible forward with respect to the maxilla. An aligner can be placed between the patient's upper and lower to help maintain proper positioning of the mandible.

Abstract: A dental aligner can be placed between the patient's upper and lower teeth to help maintain proper positioning of the mandible for treatment of sleep apnea and sleep disorders. The aligner has an upper section to receive the upper teeth, a lower section to receive the lower teeth, and an adjustment mechanism to removably secure the upper section to the lower section and provide a degree of adjustability along an anterior-posterior axis. The upper and lower sections of the aligner have polymeric bodies that extend on the occlusal and labial-buccal aspects, but not on the lingual aspects of the patient's teeth. Labial-buccal archwires are embedded in the polymeric bodies of the upper and lower sections of the aligner for structural reinforcement. Bone screws or buttons on the upper and lower sections of the aligner can provide attachment points for elastics to assist in moving the mandible forward.