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Re: MMA/GA - 6 Week Update

Posted by sleepy-in-seattle on December 13, 2006 at 11:27:48:

In Reply to: Re: MMA/GA - 6 Week Update posted by bredren on December 13, 2006 at 04:58:57:

As Mike said, Googling for MMA will get you a lot of info. And Seattlebill is a medical professional and can give some of the most accurate information here.

Here's a thumbnail description:

MMA (maxillo-mandibular advancement) - a procedure that advances your upper (maxilla) and lower (mandible) jaws by first cutting the bone, then inserting metal plates+screws to increase their length. The bone quickly heals and grows new material to "bridge the gap" so that structural integrity is the same as before surgery.

Why is this done? Certain people, due to physiology (large tongue, narrow or retrognathic jaw or a combo of all) have a unusually restricted airway behind the tongue. During sleep or repose, the tongue falls back and blocks the airway enough to cause apneas.

For the right patients, MMA appears to have a high rate of success - as in donate your CPAP, you don't need it any more. However, it is an invasive procedure with a looooong recovery (although relatively low pain overall) and can be expensive and time-consuming. The impact on one's life can be high, yet the outcome is most often excellent.

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