Lucknow, July 26 : The prosthodontics department at King George's Medical University (KGMU) has got a patent for a device it made for accurately measuring the gap between upper and lower jaw. This will help patients suffering from sleep apnea get better treatment. Prof Pooranchand, head prosthodontics KGMU, who invented the device, said: "Till now gap measurement between upper jaw and lower jaw is taken manually by vernier callipers from outside of the mouth so accuracy was compromised but now with this device, gap is assessed by inserting it into the mouth." The measurement of the gap is vital because it is used in making modular advancement instruments that are given to patients of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder which often occurs to patients with a neck diameter greater than 17 inches. In this condition, breathing repeatedly stops and starts due to a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses during sleep. Prof Pooranchand said that they had applied for the patent of the device in 2018 and now got approval after thorough scrutiny by the government of India. /IANS