Patent ID: 7992567

Claim:
A method for treating a patient, comprising: providing a tongue remodeling system, the system comprising at least one tether support and at least one tongue element, the at least one tongue element having at least one expandable tissue anchor joined to at least one tether, the at least one expandable tissue anchor being structured to pierce tissue; accessing a region about a mandible; inserting the at least one expandable tissue anchor through a first pathway along the region about the mandible to a tongue; piercing tissue in the tongue with the at least one expandable tissue anchor by expanding the at least one expandable tissue anchor, thus securing the at least one expandable tissue anchor to the tongue; attaching the at least one tether of the at least one tongue element to the at least one tether support; positioning the at least one tether support against the mandible; and fixing the at least one tether support to the mandible.