Mandibular Advancement Splint: An Appliance to Treat Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are related to narrowing of the upper airway. A mandibular advancement splint (MAS) could improve both conditions by increasing oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal dimensions. The effects of a MAS on snoring and OSA was evaluated 3.5 +/- 2.1 (mean +/- SD) mo after issue in 57 subjects with habitual loud snoring, 39 of whom had an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) > or = 10. Assessment was by questionnaire (all subjects) and polysomnography (51 subjects, 47 male) including measurement of sound intensity. Use of the MAS was randomized to first or second half of study. Snores were scored where inspiratory noise was greater than 5 dB above background. Total sleep time, sleep efficiency, % REM sleep, and % sleep spent supine were similar (p > 0.05) with and without the MAS. Snores per sleep minute, corrected for time in apnea, and sound intensity of snores (% snores > or = 50 dB) decreased with the MAS from 11.0 +/- 5.8 and 42.0 +/- 25.0% to 9.0 +/- 6.0 (p 60. Forty-five patients continued to use the MAS regularly.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)