A good night's sleep

A new treatment for sleep apnoea may double the success rates of traditional mouthguards.

Researchers say a new treatment for sleep apnoea may double the success rates of traditional mouthguards. Picture: Tatiana Dyuvbanova

GOOD news is on the horizon for those who suffer from the effects of sleep apnoea, following the creation of a treatment that may double the success rates of traditional mouthguards.

A collaboration between four organisations has produced a treatment that integrates a valve into a mouthguard to naturally increase airflow and reduce snoring.

Australia's national science agency CSIRO, Brisbane medical devices company Oventus Medical, RMIT and Neuroscience Research Australia are currently undertaking a three-year collaboration, during which the ExVentTM was incepted.

Oventus founder and CEO Dr Chris Hart said the results for the new ExVentTM valve match Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) treatment success rates for more than 75 per cent of patients.

"This is the first time an oral treatment with a pressure valve to stabilise breathing has been incorporated into sleep apnoea treatment devices,” he said.

"Nasal obstruction and breathing through their mouths was one of the main reasons treatment failed when patients used CPAP and this is what we targeted in our first device, the titanium O2VentTM.”

More than merely a sleep disturbance, sleep apnoea is potentially fatal and affects more than one million Australians.

The disease is debilitating, causing the sufferer to stop breathing often hundreds of times in a night, disturbing and worsening the quality of their sleep.