2026

Design Awards Silver Winner - National Cheng Kung University

Saliva-Drainage Anti-Snoring Oral Appliance for Sleep

Entrant

National Cheng Kung University

Category

Medical Devices & Technology - Medical Devices

Client's Name

Country / Region:

Taiwan

Obstructive sleep apnea and chronic snoring affect a vast and growing population worldwide, yet existing therapies remain difficult for patients to tolerate. CPAP machines are bulky and noisy; surgical interventions are invasive and irreversible; and traditional oral appliances introduce a problem of their own — once the device is in place, saliva pools rapidly inside the mouth, leading to nocturnal choking, gagging, and frequent awakenings. Patients also report severe morning jaw pain, stiffness, and progressive temporomandibular joint inflammation after prolonged wear, ultimately abandoning a therapy that should have been their solution.The Saliva-Drainage Anti-Snoring Oral Appliance for Sleep is engineered specifically to resolve these long-standing pain points.
At its core sits an ergonomically contoured tongue-depressor plate that gently presses and stabilizes the tongue in a forward, downward position, preventing posterior collapse of the tongue base — the primary anatomical cause of upper airway obstruction during sleep. By maintaining the tongue in this controlled position, the appliance keeps the oropharyngeal airway patent and dramatically reduces the soft-tissue vibration responsible for snoring.Surrounding the tongue-depressor are precisely sculpted drainage grooves that act as continuous capillary channels, guiding saliva away from the central airway and routing it safely toward the posterior of the oral cavity. This eliminates the accumulation that triggers reflexive choking and aspiration episodes, allowing patients to rest undisturbed throughout the night.Beyond functional airway management, the device is custom-fitted from medical-grade polymer trays that distribute occlusal load evenly across the dental arch.
Without rigid metal frames or fixed protrusion mechanisms, the appliance avoids the static stress concentration that has long been linked to temporomandibular joint inflammation in users of conventional anti-snoring devices.The result is a non-invasive, surgery-free, CPAP-free solution that addresses snoring, sleep apnea, saliva-related choking, and TMJ discomfort within a single, comfortably wearable design. By treating the patient experience as seriously as the medical outcome, this appliance transforms anti-snoring therapy into something patients can actually live with — and sleep with — every single night.

Credits

National Cheng Kung University
Wu Ping-Ching
National Cheng Kung University
Lin Ko-Chen
National Cheng Kung University
Lau Wai Shing Brian
National Cheng Kung University
Chang Chun-Ywan
National Cheng Kung University
Yang Yung-Chun
National Cheng Kung University
Nguyen Thi My Hang
National Cheng Kung University
Tsai Tung-Lin
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