Non-apneic snoring is a very common problem, which impacts on all family members. Oral appliances have been used in the management of snoring. These posture the mandible forward during sleep, opening the airway and so reducing the potential for noise generation. This articles aims to objectively evaluate the effectiveness of mandibular advancement splints (MAS) in non-apneic snorers.
Design
Prospective clinical trial.
Setting
University Dental Hospital and School.
Subjects and methods
35 consecutively referred adults with proven non-apneic snoring.
Interventions
Subjects were fitted with a removable, adjustable Herbst MAS.
Main outcome measures
Questionnaires determined changes in snoring incidence, daytime tiredness, any side effects and their duration. Eleven subjects completed overnight domiciliary sleep recordings of oxygen saturations, pulse rates and sound profile, before and 1 month after fitting the MAS.
Results
The questionnaires and sleep recordings suggested that the MAS significantly reduced snoring incidence (p<0.05) and improved sleep quality. Daytime tiredness, as assessed by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, was significantly reduced (p<0.001). Initial side effects of muscular and TMJ discomforts were mostly resolved after 1 month of appliance wear.
Conclusions
Use of a MAS improves snoring incidence and sleep quality in most patients with non-apneic snoring.
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