Patent ID: 8561616

Claim:
A method of treating obstructive sleep apnea comprising using an implant for displacing inframandibular musculature by direct contact having an anterior end coupled with an inner surface of a mandible and a posterior end coupled with a hyoid bone for anteriorly displacing the hyoid bone; wherein the displacing inframandibular musculature step comprises: providing an implant including an elongated body having a central region, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end; engaging the inframandibular musculature with said elongated body; tensioning the first and second ends of said elongated body for displacing the inframandibular musculature; the method further comprising after tensioning the first and second ends of said elongated body, fixing the respective first and second ends of said elongated body to the mandible; wherein the fixing the first and second ends step comprises anchoring the first end of said elongated body to a first outer surface region of the mandible and anchoring the second end of said elongated body to a second outer surface region of the mandible.