Mandibular positioning techniques to improve sleep quality in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: current perspectives

The purpose of this article is to review 1) mandibular advancement device (MAD) – indication, treatment success, and side effects; 2) maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) surgery of the jaws – indication, treatment success, and side effects; and 3) current perspectives. Both MAD and MMA are administered to increase the upper airway volume and reduce the collapsibility of the upper airway. MAD is noninvasive and is indicated as a first-stage treatment in adult patients with mild-to-moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and in patients with severe OSA unable to adhere to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). MAD remains inferior to CPAP in reducing the apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) with a treatment success ranging between 24% and 72%. However, patient compliance to MAD is greater, and with regard to subjective sleepiness and health outcomes, MAD and CPAP have been found to be similarly effective. Short-term side effects of MAD are minor and often transient. Long-term side effects primarily appear as changes in the dental occlusion related to decreases in overjet and overbite. MMA is efficacious but highly invasive and indicated as a second-stage treatment in patients with moderate-to-severe OSA, with prior failure to other treatment modalities or with craniofacial abnormalities. The surgical success and cure rates are found to be 86.0% and 43.2%, respectively. Side effects may appear as postsurgical complications such as temporary facial paresthesia and compromised facial esthetics. However, most patients report satisfaction with their postsurgical appearance. Both treatment modalities require experienced clinicians and multidisciplinary approaches in order to efficaciously treat OSA patients. Some researchers do propose possible predictors of treatment success, but clear patient selection criteria and clinical predictive values for treatment success are still needed in both treatment modalities.