The influence of a mandibular advancement plate on polysomnography in different grades of obstructive sleep apnea.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a mandibular advancement device on different grades of obstructive sleep apnea using a relatively simple test for the apnea-hypopnea index to determine if a mandibular device will be effective. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 68 patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) including, 31 with mild, 23 with moderate and 14 with severe OSAS were treated with a mandibular advancement device (MAD) and monitored with polysomnography. RESULTS: 25 of the 31 mild, 15 of the 23 moderate and 2 of the 14 severe OSAS patients were cured of their OSAS if a post treatment apnea-hypopnea index of less than 5 is regarded as cured. The odds ratios for success with MAD therapy are 3 for women over men, 14.9 for mild obstructive sleep apnea, 5.42 for moderate obstructive sleep apnea if severe obstructive sleep apnea is assigned an odds ratio of 1. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the apnea-hypopnea index alone is useful in mild and moderate disease to predict the effectiveness of mandibular advancement device. Treatment with a mandibular advancement device is very effective in treating mild and moderate obstructive sleep apnea. Conservative treatment with a mandibular advancement device can be successful in less severe grades of sleep apnea and may be an alternative for non-surgical patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea intolerant of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure management.

Effect of mandibular advancement device therapy on the signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders.

OBJECTIVES: Mandibular advancement device therapy is effectively used in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, but also several side effects in the masticatory system have been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the subjective symptoms and clinical signs of temporomandibular disorders connected to mandibular advancement device therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The material consisted of 15 patients (9 men and 6 women, mean age 51.1 years, range 21 to 70 years) diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Subjective symptoms and clinical temporomandibular disorders (TMD) signs were recorded at the beginning of the treatment (baseline) and at 1-month, 3-month, 6-month and 24-month follow-ups. The degree of TMD was assessed using the anamnestic (Ai) and the clinical dysfunction index (Di) of Helkimo. For assessing the effect of TMD the patients were divided in discontinuing and continuing groups. RESULTS: According to Ai and Di, the severity of TMD remained unchanged during the follow-up in most of the patients. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) crepitation was found more frequently in discontinuing patients at all follow-ups. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05) at the six-month follow-up. Masticatory muscle pain during palpation was a frequent clinical sign at the baseline and during the follow-up period but the difference between discontinuing and continuing patients was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders do not necessarily increase during long-term mandibular advancement device therapy. However, it seems that patients with clinically assessed temporomandibular joint crepitation may discontinue their mandibular advancement device therapy due to temporomandibular disorders.

Bimaxillary advancement as the initial treatment of obstructive sleep apnea: five years follow-up of the pori experience.

OBJECTIVES: Bimaxillary advancement surgery has proven to be effective treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. According to the Stanford protocol upper airway soft tissue surgery or advancement of tongue by chin plastic surgery is first carried out and if obstructive sleep apnea persists, then bimaxillary advancement is done. This study describes the 5 year outcome of 13 obstructive sleep apnea patients in whom the Stanford protocol was omitted and bimaxillary advancement was carried out as initial surgical treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients were divided in two groups. Group A comprised patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSAS) confirmed by polysomnography in whom ODI-4 (oxygen desaturation index) was 5 or more. Group B consisted of patients with occlusal problems needing orthognathic surgery and with OSAS symptoms but no clear disease on polysomnography, where the ODI-4 index was less than 5. Both groups were treated with bimaxillary advancement surgery (BAS) as initial therapy. RESULTS: In the group A mean ODI-4 was 17.8 (SD 12) before treatment and 3.5 (SD 3.4) at 5-year follow-up (P = 0.018 in paired differences t-test). In group B the ODI-4 remained below 5. In group A mean saturation improved from 94.3% (SD 1.6) to 96.3% (SD 2), P = 0.115 and in group B from 96.3% (SD 1.2) to 97.8% (SD 1.7), P = 0.056 (in paired differences t-test). The static charge sensitive bed evaluation showed improvement in all patients except one. CONCLUSIONS: Bimaxillary advancement surgery is safe and reliable as an initial surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.