In controlled pilot study, the success of the Face Former Therapy in Patients with snoring and sleep apnea was determined. A three-month long phase of therapy of four exercises daily was necessary. One exercise unit included 20 repeats of a basic exercise and 20 repeats of minimally one circuit exercise. After three weeks if nose breathing improved through the exercise, the Face Former device was also used during night. The goal was to make a habit of nose breathing.
Date of Evaluation
2002/03/25 – 2003/01/30
Evaluation Interval
Six evaluation appointments
Entry examination, afterwards four appointments after the first three weeks and one after three months.
Test Persons
Thirty-eight test persons began the evaluation
Only 30 test persons were evaluated, who took part in six control appointments and reported regularly with protocol to the exercise course (N=30).
Selected patients: Diagnosed with sleep apnea symptoms
RDI > 18, Independent of sex, 8 w, 22 m
Evaluation Procedure
Patient were chose who had files about their polysomnographical evaluation results from sleep laboratories or from outpatient evaluations. The data were chose as base values for the evaluation. All diagnoses were not older than six months. The patients had guaranteed that they were not to undergo other therapy treatments during the Face Former Therapy. Some patients, whom were handled with NCPAP and BIPAP, no longer used or stopped using the devices for reasons of poor acceptance. None of the test persons had undergone an operation for snoring.
During the control appointments, the patients recorded their own assumptions to the changes in sleep, daily tiredness, vigilance and to the effect on the general state of being in a scale from one to ten (1 = worst, 10 = best).
During every appointment measurement of lip strength were taken with the ISST Myo Bar Meter and recorded as real-time diagnostics. Thereby, the assumption was made that an improved lip strength increased the probability that the mouth closed during the sleep phase and through the nightly closure of the mouth, nose breathing could become habit.
After 12 weeks, every patient took part in an outpatient polysomnographical evaluation. The evaluation was repeated again after three months (six months after therapy start). The results were used as the final evaluation data.
Age of Test Persons
Age values
Body Mass Index (BMI)
taken during entry examination
Snoring Episodes divided into 4 Levels
Before therapy, all patients had noticeable snoring episodes
No snoring (level 1)
before: 0 test persons
after: 16 test persons
Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI)
RDI: Progress in percent
Average oxygen value during sleep phase
Measurement of lip force with ISST-Myo-Bar-Meter
At the beginning of the study, no participants reached the minimum standard value of 36 mBar. At the end of the study, all were significantly higher and no one was below 45 mBar.