In terms of sleep work, I kind of fell into it - I was studying at uni in an unrelated field back then, and needed a job, which ended up being quite an interesting series of jobs in the respiratory/sleep area. Most of what I did was self-taught and learned from reading technical manuals on the equipment I was working with (the stuff that the public doesn’t get access to read, which describes in detail all the working parameters, treatment protocols, and functional applications of the equipment).
I was going to formalise my sleep related qualifications by only sitting exams with an educational institution, however I started to become unwell before I could do that. That never mattered though - I knew lots of stuff so I had a good reputation in the industry at that time.
More on MADs vs thermoplastic home adjustable mouthguards:
With regards to selling cheaper thermoplastic self-moulding mouthguards, they’re better suited to treating bruxing (teeth grinding/jaw clenching at night while asleep which usually leads to headaches, jaw pain and can lead to tooth damage)…not really related to obstructive breathing issues…and hence why it’s helpful in bruxing because it opens the jaw slightly at the rotational axis of the temporomandibular joint (the action of opening the mouth), while providing something less dense for the teeth to clench against. Very different principles of action when compared to a mandibular advancement device which treats some forms of airway obstruction by moving the lower jaw forward in relation to the upper jaw, thus increasing the space available at the back of the lower jaw, resulting in less soft tissue obstruction by the tongue. Importantly, the hinge-action of opening the mouth is different to the forward displacement of the lower jaw, when considering soft tissue obstruction at the pharynx (back of the mouth extending to the top of the throat and lower back bit of the nasal cavity).
That’s pretty much the key differences between a thermoplastic do it yourself mouth device, and the MAD mouth device.
