8 research outputs found
Obstructive sleep apnea treatment with a twopiece mandibular advancement device with an elastic retention band in combination with orofacial myofunctional therapy: a case report
Two-piece mandibular advancement devices (MAD) are considered more comfortable
than monoblock devices, and they are commonly used for the treatment of
obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, they are not without limitations,
especially in patients with nasal obstruction/malocclusion. Here, we discuss the
case of a 37-year-old woman with mandibular regression and severe OSA, for whom
a standard twopiece MAD was not adequetely effective. However, her sleep apnea
improved with concurrent treatment with lip-muscle training (orofacial
myofunctional therapy, OMFT) and a two-piece oral appliance (OA) supplemented
with an elastic retention band (ERB). The OMFT improved lip muscle strength. In
particular, the ERB restricted mouth opening. The application of OMFT together
with an OA and ERB was a good option for this patient. Future clinical trials
should include a three-arm study involving the OMFT (with measurement of
lip-closure force, reflecting the degree of mouth opening), the two-piece OA
with an ERB, and combined treatment