Mandibular advancement devices, irrespective of amount of movement, are effective in treating young patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Mandibular advancement devices (MADs) increase the airway by providing a stable anterior position of the mandible, advancing the tongue and soft palate and potentially changing the genioglossus muscle activity. As such they are an accepted non-surgical treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The study aimed to investigate whether the amount of mandibular advancement impacts treatment outcomes of OSA. Secondary aims included identifying variables correlated with treatment response and assessing changes in polysomnography (PSG) parameters based on advancement. This retrospective study included patients aged ≥ 18 years diagnosed with OSA and treated with MADs. Data were collected from clinical notes, pre- and post-treatment PSG sleep studies. Amount of advancement was determined by the final titrated advancement achieved. Patients were grouped according to whether the final amount of advancement was ≤ 8 mm or > 8 mm. Treatment responses were classified as complete (symptom resolution and RDI 8 mm advancement, but this difference was not statistically significant. Similarly, changes in RDI, LSAT and T90 were not statistically significant between the two groups. There was statistically significant difference in treatment response between age groups, with younger patients (≤ 50 years) showing better response. Effectiveness of MADs in the treatment of OSA does not depend on the final titrated advancement achieved. However, younger patients benefit more from MADs, highlighting age as a critical parameter in treatment responses. There is strong evidence to support the use of MADs as a functional second line treatment option to CPAP, and thus understanding the factors that contribute to positive treatment of OSA is important.