4 Star Rating
About The Silent Treatment
Michael and Shelley Rowarth are the owners of Rowarth Design Ltd., the parent company of The Silent Treatment that is based out of Auckland, New Zealand. Like many couples, Michael and Shelley experienced difficulty sleeping due to Michael’s snoring problem back in the 1970’s. Shelley was frustrated and tired of countless and restless nights of hearing Michael snore through the night. She urged Michael to use an anti-snore device to help stop his snoring. After trying several products on the market that were ineffective and expensive, Michael decided to put his extensive background in product engineering, manufacturing, and design to the test. He invested in a 3D printer and worked with over 100 prototypes before perfecting The Silent Treatment and launching it in 2014. Shelley is thrilled to have her rest back and Michael continues to tweak the Silent Treatment design to this day in order to perfect the fit and comfort for his customers.
The Silent Treatment is indeed a boil and bite fitted tongue stabilizing device (TSD). These devices are great because they hold your tongue in a natural forward position in order to prevent the tongue from blocking your airway and causing snoring. Many people prefer TSD’s because they do not strain your jaw and have little to no effect on the movement of your teeth. You may still feel some discomfort for the first few nights after wearing any anti-snoring device. Your body simply needs to adapt to the new position of your tongue, but you will get used to having a device in your mouth eventually. The Silent Treatment differs from mandibular advancement devices (MAD’s) in that the device does not force your jaw forward by using your teeth as leverage. The Silent Treatment simply uses your teeth as a means to stabilize and flatten your tongue, and not affecting the position of your jaw. Located at the bottom of the device, are hundreds of tiny non-invasive spurs that will cling to the top of the tongue and hold it in a forward position.
Price
The Silent Treatment is listed at a reasonable price of $62 with free shipping via International Air Post. Since the product is being shipped from New Zealand, it can take anywhere from 7-15 days to receive the Silent Treatment. Expedited shipping is also available at checkout if you are looking to receive your product in a more timely manner. Canadian buyers are urged to pay for additional expedited shipping since packages are being held up at Canadian customs for as long as 7 weeks. Purchases can be made through their website or over the phone.
What is it made of?
The Silent Treatment is constructed of a soft food-grade polypropylene material that is non-toxic and BPA-free. This is good to know since this material will be exposed to boiling water and then immediately inserted into your mouth. The actual device has a central frame with 2 side wings made of injection molded soft thermoplastic material that has a high melting point. A secondary low melting point material is located on the top of the wings and is the area where your teeth will be molded into the material.
Silent Treatment Warranty
Michael and Shelley are committed to providing excellent customer service to their customers and extend a lifetime warranty with their product. They understand that this product may not be for everyone and that it may take time to getting used to it. They offer exceptional customer support by working through any problems that customers may have with their molding, fitting, or general use. If at any time, they cannot work with the customer on an issue, they are happy to refund the customer the full purchase amount. This is a rarity in the industry these days – most manufacturers in the anti-snoring market offer a 30-day money back guarantee or 30-day trial period. This goes to show that the company stands behind their product 100% and are loyal to their customers.
My Experience
The Silent Treatment shipped to my doorstep and arrived packaged in a small box. The moldable device was located inside a storage case along with a metal fitting clip, and instructions.
After reading all of the instructions, I proceeded to the kitchen to start boiling some water. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Cooking pot
- Water
- Cooking/grilling tongs
- Stopwatch
- Silent Treatment
- Instructions
- Included Storage Container
(Grab some cooking tongs while you are in the kitchen and set them aside. Have a watch handy or your phone nearby to set a timer when you are ready to boil the Silent Treatment.)
I poured a few cups of water into a pot and turned the stove on medium heat. While the water was starting to warm, I took the device out of the plastic packaging and went into the bathroom to practice inserting the device into my mouth as the instructions say to do. Be sure that the spurs are facing downwards (The curved edge will be facing forward as you place it in your mouth.) I placed the device in my mouth so that the very front of the piece rested in line with my lower canine teeth. I noticed that it seemed a bit wide for my mouth. The manufacturer suggests using the included stainless steel fitting clip if you have a V-shaped or smaller mouth. I fitted the clip onto the piece like the instructions showed and were able to bend the front part of the mouthpiece so it formed a smaller V-shape. Once I did this, I practiced inserting the piece into my mouth a few times until I felt confident enough that I could mold the device correctly.
After proceeding back into the kitchen and seeing that my water had already come to a boil, I dropped the Silent Treatment into the water and set my phone timer for 1 minute. I continued to maintain the boil for the entire minute the Silent Treatment was submerged. Once my timer went off, I grabbed my tongs and carefully picked up the device while being careful not to touch the side bulbs that would soon be molded. At this time, I removed the fitting clip and cooled it off by blowing on it for a few seconds, touching it to the back side of my hand to be sure it wasn’t scolding hot before I placed it in my mouth. I walked back to the bathroom mirror and inserted the Silent Treatment in my mouth just as I had practiced. While holding my lower jaw forward, I made sure my bite was firm yet gentle enough as to not completely bite 
through and have my top and bottom teeth touch. I waited for a minute or so until the device cooled down and then removed it from my mouth and ran it under cool water. I allowed it to dry and placed it in the storage container that was included in my box and stored it on my nightstand ready for the approaching evening’s use.
Right before I was about to go to bed, I reached over on my nightstand and grabbed the Silent Treatment from its storage case. I inserted it into my mouth the same way I had molded it earlier that day. The instructions said to slightly extend my tongue forward from its relaxed position, so I did that as the Silent Treatment entered my mouth. I could feel the bottom of the piece (the spurs) put slight pressure on my tongue to hold it in place – so I knew it was working. It was a bit awkward at first having something in my mouth as I went to bed. It reminded me of my brace and retainer days back in my teen years. I knew it would take some time getting used to just like those braces did. I tried not to think about this mouthpiece before going to sleep but I have to admit that it did take me an extra hour or so to finally fall asleep. I experienced extra salivation than I normally noticed as well. These put aside, I soon found myself sound asleep.
Results
I woke up the next morning and noticed that a bit of drooling had occurred. As a long-time user and reviewer, I knew that this was typical of any mouthpiece that you use. After my first night of using a new mouthpiece, I always give the product the “wife test”. I asked my wife that morning if she heard any snoring during the previous night and she could not recall hearing anything. That’s all I needed to hear to call this product a success.
I continued to wear the Silent Treatment for 13 more nights and noticed that the drooling I experienced during the first night had gradually gone away. The only discomfort I can really mention is the fact that you have a device in your mouth, to begin with. This affected me the first few nights of wearing the Silent Treatment, but by night 3 or so, I was already used to having it in my mouth and it wasn’t a big deal anymore.
Pros
- Affordable
- Effective
- Adjustable Fitting Size Settings
- Easy to Mold
- Includes storage case
- Shipping is Free
- Money-Back Guarantee
Cons
- May take several days to get used to a device in your mouth
- May cause you drooling
All in all, I would recommend this product. I have only reviewed a handful of tongue stabilizing devices, and I think they are a great alternative to mandibular advancement devices if you are concerned about holding your jaw forward. There are some great anti-snoring devices out on the market and I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing quite a few of them. Feel free to read through my other reviews and learn about my recommended devices.
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