Increase in upper airway volume in patients with obstructive sleep apnea using a mandibular advancement device

Introduction: Diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) are crucial because this disorder can cause systemic changes. The effectiveness of OSAS treatment with intraoral devices has been demonstrated through cephalometric studies. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a mandibular advancement device (Twin Block, TB) on the volume of the upper airways by means of ConeBeam Computed Tomography (CBCT). Sixteen patients (6 men and 10 women) with mild to moderate OSAS, mean age 47.06 years, wore a mandibular advancement device and were followed up for seven months on average. Methods: Two CBCT scans were obtained: one with and one without the device in place. Upper airway volumes were segmented and obtained using Student’s paired t-tests for statistical analysis with 5% significance level. Results: TB use increased the volume of the upper airways when compared with the volume attained without TB (p<0.05). Conclusion: It can be concluded that this increased upper airway volume is associated with the use of the TB mandibular advancement device. Abstract