Dental appliances for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a syndrome in which the airflow created from breathing ceases through the upper airway although diaphragm movement continues. Resulting complications include severe daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, loud snoring, and disturbed nighttime sleep. Patients affected with OSA are frequently hypertensive and can have dangerous cardiac arrhythmias. The diagnosis of OSA requires an all-night polysomnographic recording; neither snoring nor other subjective complaints constitute adequate criteria for treatment. The treatment objective for OSA is to maintain airway patency. A potential treatment discussed here is temporary advancement of the mandible or tongue during sleep with the use of dental appliances.