The Advantages of Digitally Milled Oral Sleep Apnea Devices
How does the process of milling make a better oral sleep apnea device? We dive into advantages surrounding the milling process, and how they set devices like the SomnoDent® Avant™ and SomnoDent® Herbst Advance Elite™ apart.
The Advantages of Going Digitally Milled
The advantages of the digital milling process are a stronger, lighter, and more consistent oral sleep apnea device. Milling is a CAD/CAM process (Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing) and is therefore much more accurate than traditional manufacturing. With milling, you begin with an acrylic blank and remove the material where the teeth fit without creating potential weak spots.
Improved Accuracy with IOS (Digital Scans)
Optimal results will be achieved on milled devices made from IOS (digital scans). Computer controlled milling machines only reproduce images from the scans sent to them; thus, the fit and accuracy of an oral device will be much better than using a traditional bite impression.
SomnoMed’s manufacturing facility digitally “maps” the patient’s dentition with design software, which converts the map into instructions for the CAD/CAM system on how to cut the device. This allows for consistently achieving the smallest, slimmest, strongest device.
What Sets SomnoMed Milled Devices Apart

With the SomnoDent® Avant™ and SomnoMed Herbst Advance Elite™, using computer-controlled milling machines, each patient’s device is uniquely created from a PMMA blank. PMMA has been used in dental applications for many years, and has been successfully tested against international biocompatibility standards. Performance tests have shown that this method creates stronger oral devices. We then add soft Bflex inner liner for comfort and polish of a device, so there are no sharp edges and it’s comfortable in a patient’s mouth.
After a SomnoMed oral device is made, we test it using a 3D printed model of the patient’s teeth. We check to make sure a patient’s device fits and has been made exactly by specifications provided by that patient’s sleep dentist. We then ship that device to the sleep dentist, so a patient can start treating their Obstructive Sleep Apnea with a SomnoMed oral device as soon as possible.
We pride ourselves on the first time fit, every time promise. With the right scans, for instance, we can produce a SomnoDent® Avant™ that drops directly into a patient’s mouth. No modifications are required.
Premium strength and comfort of each of our SomnoMed oral devices means greater patient compliance to oral sleep apnea treatment. This is achieved through the milling process. Combined with our Bflex inner liner, we produce the smallest, slimmest, strongest oral devices with ultimate comfort. In short, SomnoMed oral devices are a high quality, clinically proven, and effective treatment solution for mild to moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).
Watch a full video about the SomnoDent® Avant™ here: SomnoDent Avant
Watch a full video about the SomnoDent® Herbst Advance Elite™ here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE4ifU9cQWk