06 Jul Titration of Your Herbst Device
Posted at 21:28h in Oral Device Therapy
A Herbst device can help relieve the awful symptoms of sleep apnea. For those suffering from sleep apnea, it is important to know how to titrate your Herbst device in order for it to be effective. To properly execute the titration of your Herbst device, you must keep the following in mind.
Herbst devices vary in color, and may have different indications of the proper direction in order to titrate your device forward. Some devices will show a plus and negative sign in gray on the silver arm, while other devices may have a dot to indicate the direction to advance your Herbst device.
Once you have determined the indication on your Herbst device, you’ll take your titration key and insert it into the titration hole. It is important to note that this hole must always be aligned with the bolt. The bolt will never move. You’ll insert the key into the titration nut and turn it in the proper direction to advance your device. You’ll know it’s complete when the next hole appears and lines up with the bolt.
Your Herbst device may or may not have a locking nut. To lock your titration nut, you’ll simply insert your key into the hole and go in the same direction without moving the titration nut to make sure that it is locked. This will prevent it from going back. Some devices do not require this, others do. Although this may seem complicated at first, you will soon become comfortable with the titration process. In order to consistently treat sleep apnea, it is important to titrate according to the schedule your doctor has given you.