The mandibular repositioning device: role in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.

The role of oral appliances in the routine treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is not well defined. This prospective study attempts to clarify the clinical role of a specific oral appliance, the mandibular repositioning device (MRD). This study evaluated the demographic, polysomnographic, and cephalometric radiographic findings predictive of treatment success or failure with the MRD. Twenty-nine patients were diagnosed with mild to severe OSA by nocturnal polysomnography. The majority of these patients were intolerant to nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and all were fitted with a MRD. Twenty-three of these patients were compliant initially with MRD use and received post-treatment nocturnal polysomnogrpahy at a mean of 104 days after receiving the device. The respiratory disturbance index (RDI) decreased with MRD use (37 +/- 23 versus 18 +/- 20 events/hour, p < 0.001), and 16 of the 23 patients (69%) were considered responders (decrease in RDI > or = 50% and posttreatment RDI < or = 20). Measurements of subjective and objective daytime sleepiness, nocturnal oxygen desaturation, and snoring were all improved with MRD use. A pre-treatment RDI > 40 was present in four of the seven (67%) non-responders. Age, body mass index, and cephalometric radiographic measurements were not predictive of treatment outcome. Sixteen of 23 patients (70%) continue to use the MRD after 3.4 +/- 0.7 years. This study suggests that the MRD is useful in the long-term treatment of patients with OSA of mild to moderate severity.