New Study: Oral Appliance Therapy May Help Some Aspects of Mild Sleep Apnea

In June, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a new and exciting sleep apnea study about the treatment of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea with oral appliance therapy. Although the study did not find that oral devices helped those with severe sleep apnea, it did prove that moving the jaw forward can increase the airway and improve sleep for those with OSA.

Oral Appliance Therapy: Study Details

The study, which was conducted in Sweden between 2007 and 2011, followed 97 patients suffering from mild to moderate OSA. Half of the participants were given an adjustable, custom-made oral appliance while half were given a placebo. Over the next four years, the participants' sleep apnea symptoms were monitored through tests and questionnaires. Participants were asked about a variety of issues, including daytime drowsiness, headaches, symptoms of restless legs, and insomnia. In addition, doctors tested their daytime drowsiness using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, and the Oxford Sleep Resistance (OSLER) test.

Study Results

The study determined that oral device therapy that moves the mandible forward is effective in reducing obstructive sleep apnea and snoring in patients with mild to moderate cases. However, the study found that oral appliances did not improve patients' daytime drowsiness or overall quality of life. In addition, the study could not determine whether oral devices improved sleep apnea in patients with severe symptoms.

Moving the Jaw Forward to Treat Sleep Apnea

This study provides new evidence that moving the jaw forward during sleep can help alleviate sleep apnea symptoms. The oral device in question mimics bimaxillary advancement surgery, in which the upper and lower jaw are permanently moved forward in order to increase the size of the patient's airway. It is still unclear why oral appliances do not significantly improve daytime drowsiness or quality of life while bimaxillary advancement surgery does. More research may need to be conducted regarding oral devices, mandibular advancement, and sleep apnea to gain a clearer picture.

Bimaxillary Advancement Surgery at Surgical Sleep Solutions

Surgical Sleep Solutions bimaxillary advancement treatment model has a 95 to 99 percent effectiveness rate – and sleep apnea studies have shown that the surgery not only improves snoring and breathing during sleep, it also improves overall quality of life, activity level, social life, productivity, vigilance, intimacy, and sex. While oral device therapy may be the best treatment option for some OSA sufferers, such as those with mild sleep apnea, others may get optimal results from surgery. To learn more about our treatment model, to speak with a surgeon, or to find out if bimaxillary advancement surgery may be right for you, people contact us today. [gravityform id="14" title="false" description="true"]