Ten-year follow-up of mandibular advancement devices for the management of snoring and sleep apnea

Statement of problem

Intraoral mandibular advancement devices have become widely used in recent years for the management of snoring and sleep apnea, and short-term effectiveness has been demonstrated. However, there is a shortage of data regarding long-term compliance.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the long-term compliance of patients who were provided with a mandibular advancement device.

Material and methods

Records of 180 patients who were provided with a mandibular advancement device in 1996 were available for review. A questionnaire was sent to all of these patients inquiring about continued device usage, comfort, and effectiveness. Questions were also asked about smoking, alcohol consumption, height, and weight. Data were analyzed with chi-square tests for any association between these factors and success of the device (α=.05).

Results

The response rate was 40%, with 72 replies. Of this number, 34 patients were currently wearing the device every night, with a further 13 wearing the device for up to 6 nights per week. Thirty-one of the respondents who were wearing the device felt more refreshed on waking. The median body mass index (BMI) was 30, 8 were smokers, and 12 subjects drank more than 20 units of alcohol per week. Few adverse effects of the device were reported.

Conclusions

The mandibular advancement device appears to be an effective long-term solution for a significant number of patients with problem snoring and also those with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. (J Prosthet Dent 2008;99:314–321)