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INDIAN DENTAL ACADEMY

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Contents
Introduction
Anatomic aspects
Patho-Physiologic aspect
Clinical features
Morbidity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Diagnostic procedures
Upper Airway Imaging techniques
Management
Nasal continuous positive airway pressure
Oral Appliances
Surgical management
Conclusion
References
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Introduction
Over the past two decades, medicine and
dentistry have focused on breathing
disorders during sleep
These are commonly considered to be
snoring, upper airway resistance
syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea.

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Snoring
Snoring, the commonest of sleep
disorders is found in 25% of adult males
Snoring is the result of base of tongue
compromising the upper airway when the
patient falls asleep
The patient increases the speed of airflow
in an attempt to maintain required oxygen,
which causes vibration of soft tissues -
Snoring
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Snoring by itself is not
considered a serious problem,
because its mainly a problem
that creates irritation and loss
of sleep in their bed partners
However, because almost all
patients with Obstructive Sleep
Apnea snore, it must be
considered a potential indicator
of significant medical problems
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Definition of Obstructive Sleep
Apnea
Broadbent (1877), described Obstructive
Sleep Apnea as there will be perfect
silence through two, three, or four
respiratory periods, in which there are
ineffectual chest movements; finally air
enters with a loud snort, after which there
are several compensatory deep
inspirations
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Obstructive Sleep Apnea is potentially life
threatening condition in which periodic
cessation of breathing occurs during sleep
in the presence of inspiratory effort
Obstructive Sleep Apnea affects not only
the quality of life but also has significant
morbidity
The reduction in blood oxygen saturation
may give rise to hypertension, cardiac
arrhythmias, nocturnal angina and
myocardial ischemia
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Anatomic aspects of
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
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Upper airway can be viewed in four areas
(1) Nasopharynx
Mainly involves the nose, begins with nares
and ends at superior portion of hard palate
Structures of major concern Nasal
Turbinates and Nasal Septum
Inferior turbinates, the largest of the three, is
commonest to enlarge causing blockade of
nasal passage
Deviated nasal septum may affect nasal
respiration
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Nasal Turbinates and Deviated
Nasal Septum
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(2) Velopharynx
It extends from hard palate to the inferior tip of
soft palate
It includes uvula and upper part of posterior
wall of pharynx
The muscles of major concern are the Tensor
Palatini and Levator Palatini
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(3) Oropharynx
It comprised of oral cavity, beginning with
back portion of mouth till base of the tongue
Major components Tongue and Tonsils
Enlargement of these structures causes
airway obstruction
Within this area there are number of muscles
that control posture of tongue and mandible,
and these muscles also serves to maintain
airway

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(4) Hypopharynx
It extends from epiglottis to the lower
portion of airway at larynx
Large number of muscles affect this
portion can have varying effect depending
on concurrent activity of related muscles
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Muscular relationships and
functions
Palatoglossus and
Palatopharyngeus
Located in anterior and
posterior tonsillar pillar
As the mandible is advanced,
these muscles are spread
apart, causing tension on
palatoglossus.
This is transferred to soft
tissue, thus reducing vibration
Hence snoring may be reduced
or eliminated by mandibular
advancement
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Muscles of the neck
These support the cervical spine
Alteration in the cervical spine can
modify the airway, primarily through the
effect on hyoid bone, which in turn can
affect mandibular position
Therefore, its important that during the
clinical examination, posture of
individual and its potential impact on
airway be considered
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Other muscles that might influence
airway
Levator Palatini and Tensor Palatini
Muscles of the Tongue
Suprahyoids and Infrahyoids
Constrictor muscles of pharynx
Stylopharyngeus and
Salphingopharyngeus during speech
and swallowing
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Patho-Physiologic aspect of
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
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Although Sleep Apnea might be central,
obstructive and mixed pattern in origin, the
Obstructive type is the most common form
It is characterized by cessation of airflow
because of upper airway obstruction
despite simultaneous respiratory effort
The respiratory effort continues despite
obstruction until the individual is aroused
from sleep
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Normal alterations during sleep
Normal physiologic alterations that are
associated with sleep may predispose
individual to Obstructive Sleep Apnea
During sleep
The upper airway is more collapsible than
during wakefulness,
Ventilation and inspiratory flow decreases,
Upper airway resistance increases and
Arterial carbon dioxide tension increases
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Hypotonicity of muscles of upper
airway
Hypotonicity of muscles of upper airway is
the primary factor predisposing normal
upper airway to increased collapsibility in
sleep
Upper airway inspiratory muscles and
thoracic muscles work in apposition
Upper airway inspiratory muscles exerting
a dilatory effect, while thoracic muscles
produce sub atmospheric intra-airway
pressure which has collapsing effect on
upper airway
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Constriction of upper airway
Frequently, sleep apnea patients have
constricted upper airways that increase
pharyngeal resistance during inspiration
This necessitates an increase in
pharyngeal dilator muscle contraction to
maintain patency
Such increase has been shown in
Obstructive Sleep Apnea patients during
wakefulness, but it decreases during
sleep, thus contributing to development of
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
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Predisposing factors
Obesity airway is compromised because of
more fat deposits in soft palate, tongue and
surrounding pharynx
Alcohol ingestion decrease in hypoglossal
nerve output while phrenic nerve output is
spared
REM sleep muscles of airway are most
hypotonic in this stage of sleep
Pharyngeal length was found to be longer in
apnea patients in supine position compared with
upright position
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Anatomic alterations reducing airway
Ivanhoe - J Prosth Dent 1999
Posteriorly positioned maxilla and
mandible
Steep occlusal plane
Overerupted anterior teeth
Large gonial angle
Anterior openbite associated with large
tongue
Posteriorly placed pharyngeal walls
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Retrognathic mandibles
Large tongue and soft palate
Large anteroposterior discrepancies
between maxilla and mandible
Micrognathia
Acromegaly
Downs syndrome
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Hereditary variables
Adenoid and tonsillar hypertrophy
Glottic webs
Vocal cord paralysis
Lymphoma or Hodgkins disease
Ectopic thyroid
Systemic disease involving mandible like
Rheumatoid arthritis
Severe Kypho-Scoliosis
Cushing syndrome
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Clinical features of
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
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Clinical features
1. Excessive sleepiness
2. Morning headaches
3. Gastro-esophageal
reflux disease
4. Impaired concentration
5. Depression
6. Decreased libido
7. Irritability
1.Snoring
2.Drooling
3.Xerostomia
4.Diaphoresis
5.Choking or
gasping

Nocturnal symptoms Daytime symptoms
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Mishra P and Valiathan A
J Nep Med Assoc - 1995
Sleep onset
Apnea
Oxygen , pH,
carbon dioxide
Arousal from sleep
Resumption of Airflow
Return to Sleep
Negative oro-pharyngeal pressure
Reduced upper airway muscle activity
Small pharyngeal cavity
High pharyngeal compliance
High upstream resistance
Baseline arterial Oxygen concentration
Degree of diffuse airway
Obstruction
Lung volume
Chemoreceptor sensitivity
CNS abnormality www.indiandentalacademy.com
Orofacial characteristics in
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Retrognathic mandible
Narrow palate
Large neck circumference
Long soft palate
Tonsillar hypertrophy
Nasal septal deviation
Relative macroglossia
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Obstructive Sleep Apnea in
children
Snoring is the characteristics of Obstructive
Sleep Apnea in children
Nonetheless many children may not have
snoring as a major complaint even in
presence of severe upper airway obstruction
Other associated clinical features are
Difficulty in breathing during sleep
Restless sleep
Morning headaches
Enuresis
Sleep terrors
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Day time abnormalities includes
sleepiness, attention span problems, poor
social performance
Other symptoms which may be seen are
Upper airway infections
Sinusitis
Otitis media
Failure to thrive
In severe cases pulmonary hypertension or
cor pulmonale can develop
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Epidemiology
Estimates of prevalence of Obstructive
Sleep Apnea vary widely. Largely because
of different cutoff point for diagnosis
Battagel BJO 1996 stated that figures for
middle-aged adults range from 1.3 to 24%
Almost all studies report higher incidence
in males than in females, and agree that
the condition is greater in obese
The prevalence is normally described as
increasing with age
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Morbidity of Obstructive Sleep
Apnea
Morbidity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea relates
principally to cardiovascular system
Rigorous epidemiological studies have shown
that Sleep Apnea is a risk factor for development
of Arterial Hypertension, independent of
associated obesity, alcohol intake, sex, and age
Now studies have found increasing evidence to
demonstrate that Obstructive Sleep Apnea is an
independent risk factor for Stroke
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Lavie 2003 investigated repeated apnea related
events to atherogenesis through initiation of
oxidative stress, hypothesizing a molecular
biological association between hypoxia-
reoxygenation episodes of Obstructive Sleep
Apnea and cardiovascular disease
Among other consequences of Sleep Apnea,
excessive daytime sleepiness, cognitive
impairment, impaired ability to drive motor
vehicle and increased automobile accident have
been documented
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Many studies have agreed that patients with
Obstructive Sleep Apnea have reduced quality
of life
Jennum 2002 showed clear association between
headache and sleep disturbances, however the
cause and effect of this relationship is not clear
Patients with headache also report more
daytime symptoms like fatigue, tiredness or
sleepiness
Identifying sleep disorders in chronic headache
patients is worthwhile, as improvement of
headache may follow treatment of sleep
disorders in this group
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Diagnostic procedures in
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
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The diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
is best done by a pulmonologist or other
physician specialized in sleep breathing
problems.
Confirmation requires sleep testing with
polysomnography, which consists of
continuous measurement of arterial
oxygen saturation
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I. Clinical Examination
Taking a good history requires an above-
average knowledge of the discipline
involved
Recording the chief complaints is a major
portion of the history taking that ultimately
will assist in making the diagnosis
It is important to know about any previous
treatment. The patient may have had
surgery previously and failed to attain the
expected result.
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Physical condition of the patient
Neck size
A neck size greater than 40cm
(16inches), regardless of
gender, has s sensitivity of 61%
and a specificity of 93% for
having obstructive sleep apnea
syndrome
According to some authors, a
neck size of 17 inches or greater
for men and 15.5 inches or
greater for women, indicate an
increased risk for sleep apnea
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Body Mass Index (BMI)
Patients body mass index (BMI) directly
affects the predilection for sleep apnea.
The BMI is computed by dividing the
persons weight in kilograms (kg) by their
height in meters squared (m2).
In men, obesity is defined as a BMI of
27.8; for women, obesity is a BMI of 27.3.
An individual with a BMI of at least 25
kg/m2 has been found to have a sensitivity
of 93% and specificity of 74% for having
Obstructive Sleep Apnea .
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Blood pressure must also be recorded
It is both informative and good practice to
record blood pressure at the initial visit
and at subsequent visits as a means of
determining potential outcomes associated
with treatment.
Another helpful tool for screening is the
Epworth Sleepiness Scale
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Epworth Sleepiness Scale
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II. Airway Evaluation
The evaluation of the airway begins at the
tongue and proceeds into the oral
pharynx.
The condition of the tongue, its size, and
related anatomic changes should be
observed and noted, in a relaxed state.
The Mallampati Score has been used in
anesthesia for many years as a means of
determining the difficulty of performing an
intubation as the tongue increasingly
seems to obstruct the airway
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It has been found that
this score is also a
predictor for
determining severity
of sleep apnea in
some people.
Friedman et al (1999)
stated that patients
with a Mallampati
Score of III or IV are
at a greater risk for
sleep apnea than
those with a score of I
or II.
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Tonsillar size has a
direct relation to the
severity of sleep apnea.
It is well recognized that
increased tonsillar size
reduces the airway size
and can contribute to
sleep-related breathing
disorders.
Tonsil size is graded on
a universally recognized
standard
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The size of the uvula and observations of
the soft palate should also be recorded.
In snoring, mouth-breathing, or
Obstructive Sleep Apnea patients, these
structures are subjected to trauma
repeatedly throughout the night, causing a
change in their appearance and size.
Nasal examination - the Nasal turbinates
should be evaluated to determine if those
structures are contributing to nasal airway
obstruction and encouraging oral
breathing.
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III. Temporomandibular Joint
Assessment
Preexisting TMJ findings should be noted,
especially if mandibular advancement with an oral
appliance is being planned.
If an appliance is used, one with posterior support
that functions as a splint may address both issues
at the same time.
Additionally, patients who are using nasal CPAP
may experience jaw and subsequent TMJ
problems if the mask is held too tightly or chin
straps are required to hold the mouth closed to
prevent leakage around the mask or mouth
breathing.
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IV. Headache Status
Headache is a common finding among
patients with sleep-disordered breathing
and in some instances headache may be
the symptom for which the patient seeks
medical attention.
If headache is present, it is appropriate to
determine if the status of the headache
improves in conjunction with the
management of the sleep disorder.
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V. Muscle Assessment
It is important to evaluate and determine
tenderness of the muscles of the head
and neck region
Many patients with sleep-related
breathing disorders may be fatiguing the
muscles of the head and neck region
and have coexisting jaw, face, or neck
pain. These muscles may be
responsible for pain referral that is
expressed as headache
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VI. Polysomnography
First proposed by Holland et al 1974
A Polysomnography is a physiologic study,
usually attended by a trained technologist,
performed for at least 6 hours during a patients
normal sleep hours.
The study records sleep staging and other
physiologic variables.
Sleep staging includes electroencephalography
(EEG), electro-oculography (EOG), and
electromyography (EMG).
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Other physiologic parameters and variables that
may be measured include ECG monitoring,
airflow, respiratory effort, gas exchange,
gastroesophageal reflux, continual blood
pressure monitoring, snoring, and body position.
Video monitoring is recorded for each patient to
distinguish better among potential abnormal
sleep behaviors including nightmares, nocturnal
seizures, or rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep
behavioral disorder
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During analysis of the Polysomnography, each
episode of apnea and hypopnea is identified and
counted.
Consensus guidelines for research do not
distinguish between apneas and hypopneas,
defining them as events lasting at least 10
seconds, during which there is either a >50%
decrease from baseline in the amplitude of a
valid measure of breathing during sleep, or a
clear (but not 50%) amplitude reduction of a
validated measure of breathing during sleep,
associated with either an oxygen desaturation of
3% or an arousal.
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The Apnea-Hypopnea Index, also known as the
Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI) is the
number of apneas and hypopneas per hour of
sleep.
It is used to assess the severity of obstructive
sleep apnea.
The usual definition of slight Obstructive Sleep
Apnea is an Respiratory Disturbance Index of 5-
14, moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea is an
Respiratory Disturbance Index of 15 to 30, and
severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea is an
Respiratory Disturbance Index greater than 30.
The apnea-hyponea index has been shown to
be a reproducible measure within a patient as
well as predictor of associated cardiovascular
disease.
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It is now accepted that a diagnosis of clinically
significant Obstructive Sleep Apnea should be
accompanied by compatible signs and
symptoms and not based on an arbitrary
Respiratory Disturbance Index threshold.
According to Kryger (2002) the syndrome
should be defined when an index of abnormal
obstructed breathing events, or arousals caused
by them, exceeds a threshold in a patient with
clinical features or symptoms related to the
abnormal respiratory pattern during sleep
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The Polysomnography summary report
usually describes the overall Respiratory
Disturbance Index , the Respiratory
Disturbance Index while supine, the
Respiratory Disturbance Index while in
REM sleep, and the lowest oxygen
desaturation. Sleep architecture is
displayed as a graph through the night,
termed a hypnogram.
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VII. Split Night Studies
To establish optimal therapeutic pressure,
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
usually is initiated during polysomnography in
the sleep center.
The pressure is titrated upward in small
increments until apneic episodes are controlled
or eliminated
A more reliable titration to effective pressure
often requires an entire night of testing and may,
for some patients, require a second
Polysomnography study dedicated to
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure titration.
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In some cases it is possible to condense this
process into one split-night Polysomnography
During a split-night study the technologist
performs a standard diagnostic
Polysomnography without Continuous Positive
Airway Pressure for about 2 hours.
Continuous positive airway pressure is then
initiated and titrated by the technologist to
eliminate snoring and sleep apnea.
A split-night study is especially useful after the
physician has thoroughly discussed sleep apnea
treatment options with the patient, and when the
patient has a good idea of the nature,
inconvenience, and treatment value of
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure .
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Limitations of Split Night Studies:
A split night protocol requires that the
technologist make the initial diagnosis based on
a partial night recording.
Another limitation of split-night studies is that
apneic episodes often are more frequent or
more severe during REM sleep, and REM sleep
usually occurs in the latter half of the night;
therefore a 2-hour initial baseline
Polysomnography may significantly
underestimate the baseline severity of apnea.
Further, the effects of body position on
breathing may be missed during a time-
abbreviated diagnostic study.
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VIII. Portable studies
Portable sleep studies are helpful for patients
who cannot easily come to the sleep center and
for certain limited studies such as follow-up
studies after surgery for sleep apnea
An attended portable study is usually more
costly to perform than a laboratory study
because a technologist usually attends only one
patient during a portable study but usually
attends two patients in the laboratory
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IX. Pulse Oximetry
Arterial oxygen saturation can be monitored
continuously by pulse oximetry in the emergency
room, during surgery, and during
Polysomnography.
Pulse oximetry is relatively simple and reliable
Despite limitations, oximetry may be a useful
diagnostic tool over a wide range in Obstructive
Sleep Apnea severity.
Oximetry may be useful to evaluate response to
treatment after surgery or airway dilator
placement in patients with known Obstructive
Sleep Apnea .
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A full-night polysomnography remains the
standard of reliability and accuracy for
diagnosing Sleep Disordered Breathing,
Split-night testing with Continuous positive
airway pressure titration or cardio-respiratory
sleep studies may be most useful in patients
who have a high pretest probability of
Obstructive Sleep Apnea , and clinical prediction
formulas may help sleep specialists identify
those patients.
Oximetry is a viable alternative in some clinical
situations because of its ease of use, its
reliability, and its portability.
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Upper Airway Imaging
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I. Acoustic reflection - Philipson
1992
Acoustic reflection is a noninvasive imaging
technique based on analyzing sound waves
reflected from upper airway structures.
The phase and amplitude of the reflected sound
waves can be transformed into an area-distance
relationship by calculation of upper airway area
as a function of distance from the incisors in the
mouth.
The technique is generally performed through
the mouth, is free of radiation, and because it is
both fast (images can be obtained at 0.2 second
intervals) and reproducible, permits dynamic
imaging of the upper airway.
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Unfortunately, acoustic reflection does not
provide information on airway structure or
geometry
Moreover, measurements are usually performed
in the sitting position with an oral mouthpiece.
Mouthpieces present difficulties for the
examination of upper airway anatomy because
opening the mouth alters upper airway geometry
Accordingly, acoustic reflection may not be
comparable with other modalities in which the
mouth is closed during imaging.
Acoustic reflection thus far has been used
primarily as a research tool.
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II. Fluoroscopy
Fluoroscopy has also been used to study upper
airway closure in patients with sleep apnea.
Fluoroscopic studies during sleep have
demonstrated that upper airway closure occurs
in the retropalatal region for most patients with
sleep apnea.
Although fluoroscopy can provide a dynamic
evaluation of the upper airway during
wakefulness and sleep, radiation exposure
makes this study impractical for routine use.
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III. Nasopharyngoscopy
Nasopharyngoscopy is commonly used to
evaluate the nasal passages, oropharynx, and
vocal cords.
Although it is invasive, nasopharyngoscopy is
easily performed and does not involve radiation
exposure.
Moreover, it permits direct observation of the
dynamic appearance of the pharynx.
However, it examines only the lumen of the
upper airway and does not provide
measurement of the surrounding soft tissue
structures.
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The utility of nasopharyngoscopy in evaluating
the upper airway seems to be increased if a
Mullers maneuver is performed during the
examination.
The Mullers maneuver is a voluntary inspiration
against a closed mouth and obstructed nares.
It is thought to simulate the upper airway
collapse that occurs during an apnea.
Although the degree of obstruction on negative
inspiration with a Mullers maneuver is not a
direct correlate of the site of upper airway
collapse during sleep, Mullers maneuver has
been shown to add important information on
possible sites of obstruction.
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III. Cephalometry
This technique is widely available, easily
performed, and much less expensive than either
CT scanning or MR imaging
Cephalometrics have also been used to
evaluate skeletal structures before facial surgery
(mandibular advancement, bimaxillary
advancement, sliding genioplasty) and to
evaluate the efficacy of oral appliances
Cephalometry is considered useful for
evaluating and quantifying craniofacial
(mandibular and hyoid position) and soft tissue
structures (tongue and soft palate) in patients
with retrognathia or micrognathia
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Nonetheless, the low cost and widespread
availability of Cephalometrics make it
useful for sleep apnea patients being
treated with oral appliances and
undergoing craniofacial surgery.
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IV. Computed Tomography
Computed tomographic scanning is widely
available and is ideal for imaging the lumen of
the upper airway because it accurately
measures the cross-sectional area.
Computed tomography also provides excellent
resolution for upper airway soft tissue and
craniofacial structures.
Three-dimensional volumetric reconstructions of
upper airway, soft tissue, and bony structures
can be obtained
Dynamic imaging of the upper airway can be
performed with electron beam CT
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Compared with MR images, however, CT
scanning has limited soft tissue contrast
resolution, particularly for upper airway adipose
tissue.
In addition, CT scanning is relatively expensive
and exposes the patient to radiation.
The radiation exposure particularly limits state-
dependent imaging and studies that require
repeat scanning.
Despite these limitations, studies using CT
scanning have led to important insights into the
pathogenesis of airway closure in patients with
obstructive sleep apnea.
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V. Magnetic Resonance Imaging
MR imaging is perhaps the most useful imaging
technique for studying obstructive sleep apnea
because it:
Provides excellent resolution of upper airway and soft
tissue (including adipose tissue),
Accurately measures cross-sectional airway area and
volume,
Allows imaging in the axial, sagittal, and coronal
planes
Provides data suitable for three-dimensional
reconstructions of upper airway soft tissue and
craniofacial structures
Can be performed during wakefulness and sleep, and
does not expose subjects to radiation.
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MR imaging, however, is expensive and is not
available in all hospitals.
Further, MR studies cannot be performed on
patients with ferromagnetic implants or
pacemakers, patients who weigh more than 300
pounds, or patients who are claustrophobic (a
relative contraindication).
Moreover, Suto et al, (1993) reported that
achieving sleep in the MR scanner is difficult
because of the associated noise.
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Clinical utility of upper airway
imaging
Upper airway imaging is not indicated in routine
diagnostic evaluation of most patients with obstructive
sleep apnea
Imaging of the airway is also not indicated in patients
with sleep apnea treated successfully with Continuous
positive airway pressure .
MR imaging and nasopharyngoscopy are the imaging
modalities of choice in patients undergoing a
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.
Cephalometrics should be considered in patients being
treated with mandibular repositioning devices.
In patients undergoing maxillomandibular advancement
surgery or sliding genioplasty, CT scanning with three
dimensional reconstructions and cephalometrics may be
indicated.
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Management of
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
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The treatment of Obstructive sleep apnea
depends on several factors such as the severity
of the symptoms, site of airway obstruction, and
co-operation of the patient.
There are several modalities ranging from
simple lifestyle measures such as weight loss
and avoidance of alcohol, to more substantial
measures such as continuous positive airway
pressure, or oral appliances, and in more severe
cases, even surgical intervention.
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NASAL CONTINUOUS POSITIVE
AIRWAY PRESSURE
Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (N-
CPAP) is a highly effective and safe treatment
for obstructive sleep apnea and is generally
considered to be the current primary treatment
of obstructive sleep apnea
Sullivan et al (1981) first reported the use of
nasal continuous airway pressure for obstructive
sleep apnea in adults. Their device consisted of
intranasal tubes attached to a blower unit.
Sanders et al (1983) introduced the nasal mask
delivery system, which made continuous positive
airway pressure more user-friendly.
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Fundamentally, the application of a therapeutic
level of continuous positive airway pressure
results in immediate relief in the upper airway
obstruction.
This benefit has been attributed to the
continuous positive airway pressure functioning
as a pneumatic splint for the upper airway.
Additional physiologic benefits of continuous
positive airway pressure application to include
improvement in the function of pharyngeal
dilator muscles, ventilator drive, and upper
airway morphology
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Nasal continuous positive airway
pressure Apparatus
It consists of an inspiratory limb, which uses
compressed air from a standard hospital wall
source regulated by a flow meter.
To prevent mucosal drying, a humidifier
containing a one-way valve is used which ends
in the nasal mask.
The expiratory flow limb begins at the mask and
ends with a threshold water column positive end
expiratory pressure (PEEP).
The level of Nasal continuous positive airway
pressure could then be adjusted by manipulating
the amount of flow and the level of water in the
PEEP column.
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Nasal continuous positive airway
pressure Apparatus
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Benefits of Nasal continuous
positive airway pressure therapy
Patients perceived quality of life increases
Interestingly, the spouses of obstructive sleep apnea
patients also gained from this therapy
Reduced sleepiness and the improved ability to steer a
motor vehicle and hence frequency of driving accidents
were reduced
Health-related quality of life of obstructive sleep apnea
patients improves with long-term continuous positive
airway pressure treatment
Randomized placebo-controlled studies demonstrated a
reduction in blood pressure levels with continuous
positive airway pressure therapy.
Reduces long-term morbidity and mortality from
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Disadvantages of Nasal continuous
positive airway pressure therapy
While current effective management of moderate
to severe sleep apnea is still largely dependent
on nasal continuous positive airway pressure ,
the process is still cumbersome
Approximately 10-50% of subjects find the
continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
intolerably uncomfortable and discontinue its
use with in a short period of time.
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Inspiration is facilitated and expiration is
impeded, a new balance between
inspiratory muscle effort and lung elastic
recoil is established.
This results in the following:
Reduced cardiac output and renal function.
Increased pressure in the sinus, which might
decrease drainage and cause problems in
patients with preexisting abnormalities.
Drying of the airway mucosa is another
complication, which can be overcome by the
inclusion of a humidifier in the circuit.
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Mechanical failure of continuous positive airway
pressure occlusion of the exhaust line could
theoretically cause hyper-inflation of the lungs
and perhaps even lung rupture. This does not
happen if a low pressure pump is used.
Since the pressure is applied through the nose,
the mouth will act as a blow-off valve and result
in reduction of the pressure. When this happens,
the patient will go back to his usual state of
upper airway obstruction. This is prevented by
using face-masks covering both the nose and
the mouth.


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Auto Nasal continuous positive
airway pressure
The device continuously adjusts the applied air-
pressure to an optimum level throughout the
night and appears to improve compliance.
Upper airway resistance is influenced by many
dynamic factors that may change, such as body
position, sleep stages, sleep deprivation, body
weight and fluctuations of nasal congestion.
Therefore, a single pressure level, as with
standard continuous positive airway pressure
could result in insufficient air pressure at certain
times, particularly after alcohol consumption.
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Auto continuous positive airway pressure
is expected to become more popular in the
future as it facilitates the initiation and
follow up of the treatment, especially the
process of optimal initial pressure titration,
and the elimination of repeated titrations
over prolonged years of therapy.

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ORAL APPLIANCES IN
THERAPY OF OBSTRUCTIVE
SLEEP APNEA
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Although Nasal continuous positive airway
pressure is a logical first step, some patients
cannot tolerate Nasal continuous positive airway
pressure, creating a demand for alternative non-
surgical treatment modalities.
Dental devices were being promoted as an
alternative conservative, noninvasive modality
for management of some patients with mild
Obstructive Sleep Apnea symptoms and those
subjects who have a history of disruptive snoring
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Classification of Oral Appliances
Dental appliances in the treatment of
Obstructive Sleep Apnea can be divided into
three categories:
1. One type of appliance is designed to reposition the
tongue in a more forward position (Tongue retaining
device).
2. A second type of devices positions the mandible
forward. The rationale for this movement is that the
tongue is attached to the genial tubercles of the
mandible and positioning the mandible forward
moves the tongue forward. These mandibular
repositioning appliances also change hyoid bone
position and modify the lower airway space below the
level of the base of the tongue.
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3. The third type of intra oral device is
designed to lift the soft palate or
reposition the uvula (equalizer). The
rationale for the use of palate lifting
devices is to reduce the vibration of the
soft palate that causes the snoring
sound.

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Tongue retaining devices
The Tongue retaining devices is a custom-made
appliance designed to allow the tongue to
remain in a forward position between the
anterior teeth by holding the tongue in an
anterior bulb with negative pressure during
sleep.
Tongue protrusion increases the oropharyngeal,
velopharyngeal and hypopharyngeal cross-
sectional areas of the upper airway, thereby
improving airway patency and function and
reducing the airflow resistance
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The advantages of tongue retaining
devices over mandibular advancement
devices are as follows:
They can be used on edentulous patients,
whereas the latter need ample dentition for
retention purposes.
They do not loosen restorations.
They require minimal or no adjustments.
They cause minimal sensitivity in teeth or in
the TMJ.
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The effectiveness of Tongue retaining devices in
Sleep apnea subjects may be partially related to
the forward tongue posture that compensates for
the altered Genioglossus muscle activity.
Tongue-retaining devices appear to be effective
in over 75% percentage of the mild to moderate
cases of obstructive sleep apnea.
Compared to the most commonly performed
non-surgical treatment (continuous positive
airway pressure ), the Tongue-retaining devices
is more easily tolerated and has fewer long-term
compliance problems.
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Mandibular Advancement
Devices
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In 1934, Pierre Robin first described the concept
of advancing the mandible with a monobloc
functional appliance to treat airway obstruction
in infants with micrognathia.
His method was not accepted and it was not
until 1985 that Meier-Ewert next described an
intra-oral protraction device for the treatment of
sleep apnea.
In general, MADs consist of form-fitting trays
that fit over the maxillary and mandibular teeth
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They may be fixed-position with no allowance for
adjustability for advancement or retrusion of the
mandible, or may be adjustable
Adjustable oral appliances are generally
preferred because they can be adjusted in an
antero-posterior position until an acceptable
level of symptom improvement has occurred,
while teeth or temporomandibular joint sensitivity
is controlled.
Some oral appliances may be made from a pre-
fabricated standard set, similar to alginate
impression trays and can be fabricated chair
side in the clinical setting.
Others must be custom fabricated on a set of
casts by a laboratory
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Designs of Mandibular Advancement
Devices
Removable Activator type
Mandibular Advancement
Device
Every posterior tooth has full
occlusal coverage with acrylic.
All anterior teeth were capped
on the incisal, lingual, and labial
surfaces by acrylic.
Openings were cut through the
acrylic between the maxillary
and mandibular arches to allow
respiration if the subject
developed nasal congestion
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Anterior Mandibular
Positioner
The oral appliance
consisted of a titanium
hinge with 5
adjustment holes that
connected full-
coverage upper and
lower, hard acrylic
splints.
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The Karwetzky activator :
Rose et al (EJOS 2002)
Passive tooth-and tissue
borne device
It is a bimaxillary, tooth- and
tissue-borne activator with a
loose fit.
The activator is divided along
the occlusal plane.
Two U-loops are fixed in the
lingual acrylic in the area of
the first molars, allowing
sagittal adjustment of the
mandibular protrusion.
This design permits lateral
and vertical jaw movements
during sleep
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Intra oral sleep apnea
device (ISAD)
It consists of two thin
thermoplastic splints,
worn on the upper and
lower jaws, connected
by two adjustable
telescopic guide rods.
It works by advancing
and slightly depressing
the mandible and
tongue while imparting
a slight vertical
clockwise rotation.
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Adjustable Herbts appliance
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Magnetic appliances for treatment of OSA
Inherent magnetic forces directly transfer
active forces to the jaws and thereby
constrain the lower jaw in a forward position.
During sleep, when the masticatory muscles
are physiologically relaxed, there is an
obvious risk that the mandibular complex
moves backward and closes the airflow in the
upper airway space.
In such situations, a magnetic appliance may
be more effective than the conventional
passive functional appliance, because the
magnet forces prevent the closing by
providing direct and continuous mandibular
advancement.
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The following advantages of the magnetic
appliance were enumerated:
The inherent magnetic forces constrain the lower
jaw directly in an advanced position even during
sleep when the masticatory muscles are relaxed.
It is less bulky than the conventional monoblock
type and allows freedom of function and,
consequently, patient compliance is improved.
If there is a need to change the advanced
position of the mandible, this can easily be done
by changing the positions of the magnets in the
splints.
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One shortcoming of the rare earth
magnets, particularly the neodymium-iron-
boron alloy, is that the alloy is very
susceptible to corrosion assault by the
saliva.
When a magnet corrodes, there is
considerable risk of destroyed magnetic
properties and loss of force. Furthermore,
there is a risk of liberation of cytotoxic
components

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The Modified Monobloc: Cozza ( JCO
2004)
The device was fabricated from clear acrylic
resin, with full tooth coverage in both arches
and a central screw.
The incisal edges and superior labial
surfaces of the mandibular incisors were
capped to prevent tipping.
The construction bite positioned the
mandible anteriorly into an edge-to edge
incisal relationship, with a vertical bite
opening of 2-3 mm.
A Tucats Pearl sliding on a wire in the
anterior lingual portion of the appliance was
added as reference point for anterior
positioning of the tongue.
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Chrome-cobalt mandibular advancement
devices: Ash and Smith ( JO 2004)
They emphasized the physical weakness of
conventional mandibular advancement devices, which
normally are made of acrylic, or may have a stainless
steel shaft and piston fixed linkage mechanism,
These parts are subject to considerable forces and
may undergo fracture.
The chrome cobalt advancement devices are
fabricated according to the principles of prosthetic
dentistry, with surveying of stone models for
construction of the chrome cobalt framework.
Clasps are incorporated for additional retention in
both the upper and lower appliances.
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The advantages of the
appliance were its
superior strength,
reduced bulk, kindness to
soft tissues, and
enhanced retention and
stability.
The possible
disadvantages include
financial cost, additional
clinical and laboratory
stages, and the need for
a new appliance if the
patient experiences tooth
loss.
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The Glasgow approach
Simple one-piece mandibular advancement device
using a semi-soft material.
The advantage of this appliance was that it placed no
restriction on the dental status of the patients
accepted for treatment.
Softened impression compound placed between the
anterior teeth is used to obtain the protrusive jaw
position, following which, aluminium impregnated wax
is pressed around the buccal surfaces of the teeth
and the impression compound.
The appliances are made with polyvinyl acetate
polyethylene, 4mm thick and trimmed to shape.
They are then placed on the articulator and joined
together.
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Advantages
simplicity and low cost of
this appliance compared
with other treatment
options.
Disadvantages
longevity has been
questioned and would
require a replacement
after 12-18 months
Other side effects like
hypersalivation
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Hans et al AJO
1997
Device designed to increase
vertical dimension and protrude
the mandible (device A).
Device designed to minimally
increase vertical opening without
protruding the mandible (device
B).
Device A reduced RDI scores in 9
of 10 subjects
Device B showed no change or an
increased RDI score in 8 of 8
subjects.
Subjects who showed no
improvement with device B were
then fitted with device A.
Four of those seven subjects
showed a reduction in RDI
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Randomized controlled trials comparing
Oral Appliances with CPAP
Ferguson et al (1996)
They compared one-piece, hard acrylic,
nonadjustable oral appliance, Snore Guard to
continuous positive airway pressure in patients with
mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea.
It was found that the treatment of 48.5 % of
SnoreGuard and 62% of continuous positive airway
pressure patients was considered successful.
While patients preferred the SnoreGuard treatment to
the continuous positive airway pressure therapy, the
former was not as effective as was the continuous
positive airway pressure treatment in relieving
symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness.
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Randerath et al (2002)
Compared the effectiveness of an individually
adjustable intra oral sleep apnea device (ISAD) with
that of continuous positive airway pressure .
The intra oral sleep apnea device reduced snoring in
the long term, but significantly improved the RDI only
in the early phase of treatment.
In contrast, continuous positive airway pressure
normalized RDI, snoring and arousals throughout the
entire treatment period.
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They concluded that in patients with mild to
moderate obstructive sleep apnea, continuous
positive airway pressure is superior to treatment
with mandibular advancement device.
However, as one third of patients respond
sufficiently to treatment with the intra oral sleep
apnea device , in patients who refuse
continuous positive airway pressure , the use of
mandibular advancement devices should be
considered.
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Ferguson et al (2006)
Conducted an evidence-based review of literature
regarding the use of oral appliances in the treatment
of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome
from 1995
In comparison to continuous positive airway pressure,
oral appliances are less efficacious in reducing the
apnea hypopnea index (AHI), but oral appliances
appear to be used more (at least by self report), and
in many studies were preferred over continuous
positive airway pressure when the treatments were
compared.
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Randomized controlled trials comparing
different designs of oral appliances
Lawton, Battagel and Kotecha (EJO 2005)
They analyzed the efficacy of the Twin Block in relation
to the Herbst appliance as a mandibular advancement
splint (MAS).
The results suggested that there was no difference in
the treatment performance of the Twin Block and Herbst
for AHI , snoring frequency, arterial blood oxygen
saturation, quality of life and side-effects.
The Herbst proved to be the more effective appliance
for reducing daytime sleepiness and was the more
popular appliance among the patients.
The Twin Block appliance is bulkier than the Herbst and
it may be that the additional reduction in airway volume
was enough to negate the positional benefits of the
appliance
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Bloch et al (2000)
Studied the effectiveness and side effects of
an adjustable Herbst appliance with those of a
fixed single-piece mandibular advancement
device (Monobloc) with equal advancement.
This project was one of the first to compare
the effectiveness of mandibular advancement
devices with different designs.
Patient preference and trends of
polysomnographic data showed the Monobloc
to have greater patient acceptability and to be
more effective than the Herbst appliance in
the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea .
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Clinical aspects of insertion and
titration of oral appliances
General technique for oral appliances that are
selected from a prefabricated set
The oral appliance that incorporates thermoplastic
material is initially heated in warm or hot water
Once the thermoplastic material is softened, the oral
appliance is inserted, and any excess thermoplastic
material is adapted to the buccal and lingual surfaces
of the teeth using the fingers.
The oral appliance should be removed and reinserted
several times as the material chills to prevent it from
becoming locked into undercut areas.
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Titration of oral appliances
It consists of slowly moving the mandible
either anteriorly or posteriorly using the
adjustable mechanism until successful results
are achieved with the minimum possible
protrusive position.
The titration of oral appliances may be
tedious, requiring several weeks to months.
Once completed, titration may become
necessary again at some future time if sleep
disorder symptoms recur or tooth or
temporomandibular joint sensitivity appear.
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The following titration process is for a device
with a screw-type mechanism:
The patient generally begins with the mandible
advanced to 70-75% of his or her maximum
protrusive position relative to the most retrusive
position.
The oral appliance is inserted and not titrated for
several days until the patient has become
accustomed to wearing the appliance.
If, as frequently happens, successful results are
achieved, titration is not necessary.
If the symptoms have not been reduced acceptably,
the mandible is slowly protruded, often in increments
of 0.25 mm per night.
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After approximately 2 weeks, the patient must be
re-examined if the desired results have been
achieved.
If the patient reports sensitive teeth, it may be
necessary to adjust the oral appliance around
the sensitive teeth.
Teeth or Tempromandibular joint sensitivity may
also require that the mandible be slowly retruded
until the problem is addressed.
Once the sensitivity is corrected, it may be
necessary again to protrude the mandible until
the sleep disorder symptoms are addressed.
If the obstructive sleep apnea has worsened, the
patient is not allowed to continue with the oral
appliance therapy.
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Treatment Considerations
Clinicians should explain the possible side
effects of treatment including the possibility that
the appliance may loosen or break dental
restorations, excess salivation, xerostomia, TMJ
pain, soreness of the masseter muscle, and
tooth discomfort
Mandibular protrusion devices should only be
used when a patient has at least 8 teeth in each
arch and is able to demonstrate a mandibular
protrusion of at least 5 mm and a bite opening of
greater than 25 mm.
Totally edentulous patients are usually not good
candidates for mandibular repositioners, but
tongue-retaining devices may be used in
edentulous patients for snoring, and not
obstructive sleep apnea .
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Patients who are treated with a mandibular
protruding device for obstructive sleep apnea
may find that when they wear the appliance,
their occlusion feel different for a short while
after the appliance is removed
Obstructive sleep apnea patients who present
with more severe TMJ pain are probably not
good candidates for treatment with mandibular
protrusion devices.
Patients with significant bruxism can frequently
damage mandibular protrusion devices and thus
make this treatment approach costly and
inefficient,
While very obese patients, with some
exceptions, are best treated by other means
than mandibular protrusion.
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Amount of bite opening
As the mouth opens, the anterior attachment of
the tongue swings not only down but also
backward carrying the tongue toward the airway.
For this reason, LEstrange et al (1997)
concluded that Mandibular Advancement Device
should keep jaw opening to an absolute
minimum
Meurice et al (1996), concluded that pharyngeal
airway was more likely to obstruct when the
mandible opened 15 mm at the incisors
There are no published polysomnographic
studies that establish the optimum vertical
dimension for the Mandibular Advancement
Device
The most commonly selected bite opening is
about 2 mm between the incisors
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Vicomi et al (1988) showed
good apnea reduction with
an Mandibular Advancement
Device that advances the
mandible 6 to 9 mm while
opening it vertically 17 mm.
Mandibular Advancement
Device expand the airway
not only behind the tongue
but also behind the soft
palate.
The mechanism for this
velopharyngeal expansion is
the pull on the palatoglossus
muscle
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The superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle
attaches directly and indirectly to the mandible.
Opening the mouth, therefore, exerts a
downward force on the lateral walls of the
pharyngeal airway, stretching them
longitudinally.
This stretching improves airway patency by
reducing folds, compliance and extrinsic
compression.
Another advantage of increasing the jaw
opening beyond 2 mm is that it helps part the
lips allowing a passage for oral breathing.
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SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF
OSA

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Surgical management of Obstructive sleep
apnea is generally recommended when the
applicable conservative therapies are
unsuccessful or not well tolerated, as well as or
patients who have an identifiable underlying
surgically correctable abnormality that is causing
the Obstructive sleep apnea .
Surgery can provide definitive treatment, thus
eliminating patient compliance issues, but only if
performed competently, both in terms of
technical skill and on the correct site or area of
upper airway obstruction.
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Presurgical Evaluation
The upper airway can be divided into
three main regions for evaluation
Nose and Nasopharynx
The nose should be evaluated for septal
deviation, turbinate hypertrophy, nasal
polyps, infectious and edematous conditions
such as rhinosinusitis, rhinitis and
neoplasms, as well as patency of internal
nasal valve.
The nasopharynx is examined for adenoid
hypertrophy, polyps, cysts, and obstructing
masses.
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Oral Cavity and Oropharynx
The tongue is estimated to be of normal size if
it sits at or below the level of the occlusal
plane at rest. It is subjectively described to be
mildly, moderately or severely enlarged if
above the occlusal plane
The position of the soft palate with respect to
the tongue is noted at rest and is graded
using the modified Malampatti Score, I
through IV
The pharyngeal tonsils are graded 1,2,3 or 4,
dividing the airway into less than 25%, 25 to
50%, 50-75% or greater than 75%
respectively
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The hypopharynx and larynx
The hypopharynx and larynx are best
evaluated from above with the flexible
endoscope.
The base of the tongue, epiglottis, vocal folds,
arytenoids and the presence of lingual tonsils
are noted
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The current surgical procedures used for
Obstructive sleep apnea are
Tracheostomy,
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty,
Laser assisted uvulopalatoplasty,
Surgical reduction of the tongue,
Mandibular osteotomy with genioglossus
advancemnt,
Hyoid myotomy and suspension, as well as
maxillomandibular advancement
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I) TRACHEOSTOMY FOR THE
TREATMENT OF OSA
Before the introduction of
uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and continuous
positive airway pressure, tracheostomy was the
only treatment available.
At present this procedure is usually reserved for
the most severe Obstructive sleep apnea
patients
It is 100% effective in alleviating Obstructive
sleep apnea by bypassing all upper airway
obstructive sites
Tracheostomy has been shown by several
authors to reduce mortality in patients with sleep
apnea
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Indications of tracheostomy in patients
with Obstructive sleep apnea
Disabling sleepiness with severe familial and
socioeconomic impact.
Severe cardiac arrhythmias associated with
respiratory events.
A high apnea index. (> 60).
Notable oxygen desaturation level during sleep
i.e. oxygen desaturation level below 60%.
No improvement of clinical symptoms or
polysomnography findings after medical trials.
Tracheostomy may also be performed to protect
the airway from obstruction due to edema while
the patient undergoes upper airway
reconstructive surgery
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II) UVULOPALATOPHARYNGOPLASTY
For Obstructive sleep apnea
In 1979, Fujita et al began to look for alternatives
for tracheostomy for the treatment of patients
with obstructive sleep apnea.
In 1980 they introduced a new operation for the
correction of anatomic abnormalities in the
pharynx, which was referred to as a
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty
This is designed to decrease oropharyngeal
collapsibility by reducing the soft palate, uvula,
posterior and lateral pharyngeal walls, and
tonsils when present.
The goals of surgery are to resect the posterior
margins of the soft palate and redundant lateral
pharyngeal wall mucosa
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The soft palate resection
ranges from 8-15 mm,
stopping short of the
thick muscular part of the
palate.
The lateral pharyngeal
wall is treated by
resecting redundant
mucosa and developing
a flap along the posterior
wall.
The flap is advanced and
sutured to the anterior
tonsillar pillar area

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Complications of
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty

Early complications:
Transient velopharyngeal incompetence.
Wound dehiscence.
Hemorrhage.
Wound infection
Late complications:
Pharyngeal discomfort, dryness, tightness
Postnasal secretion
Inability to initiate swallowing
Prolonged sore throat
Taste disturbance
Speech disturbance
Permanent velopharyngeal incompetence
Nasopharyngeal stenosis.
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III. LASER ASSISTED
UVULOPALATOPLASTY (KAMAMI
TECHNIQUE)
Kamami (1990) first described laser assisted
uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) for the treatment of
snoring
Laser assisted uvulupalatoplasty stiffens and
possibly enlarges the antero-posterior
retopalatal airway and is associated with an
extremely low complication rate when compared
with Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty
The technique can be performed under local
anesthesia as a multiple out-patient procedure.
The laser usually used is CO2 laser at 20 watts
in continuous mode.
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The key disadvantages with laser assisted
uvulopalatoplasty are however the early
drop off in the success rate and the severe
degree of post-operative pain encountered
One of the biggest disadvantages of the
laser assisted uvulopalatoplasty procedure
from the physicians point of view has
been the high cost of the equipment.
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IV. SURGICAL PROCEDURES FOR
THE TONGUE
Midline glossectomy
A laser midline glossectomy is accomplished
by vaporizing a 2 cm by 5 cm rectangular
portion or the midline tongue with a laser.
A lingual tonsillectomy, reduction of
aryepiglottic folds, and a partial
epiglottectomy can be done concomitantly if
indicated
Complications of this procedure include
bleeding, dysphagia and altered taste
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Linguloplasty
The linguloplasty differs from the laser midline
glossectomy in that the tongue excision is
extended more posteriorly and laterally.
The defect is closed, by suturing the posterior
margin anteriorly, which advances the tongue
base anteriorly.
The anterior rotation of the posterior margin
significantly improves the success rate to
around 77%
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Tongue-base suspension sutures: (Coleman
and Bick, 1999)
A non-resorbable
suspension suture is
placed in the tongue and
is then attached to a
titanium bone screw
inserted into the
geniotubercle of the
posterior aspect of the
mandible.
The suture tension
prevents posterior
tongue displacement
and occlusion with the
posterior pharyngeal wall
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V. INFERIOR SAGITTAL OSTEOTOMY
OF THE MANDIBLE
This method allows isolated advancement of the
genial tubercle and genioglossus muscle
The surgical approach to the mandible is
through the submental incision.
A rectangular osteotomy is accomplished
around the geniotubercle on the labial surface of
the anterior mandible.
It is desirable to leave 8-10 mm of inferior border
to decrease the chance of fracture.
The genial segment with its genioglossus
attachment is advanced, rotated and rigidly fixed
to the mandible
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Inferior sagittal osteotomy of
mandible
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VI. MAXILLOMANDIBULAR
ADVANCMENT SURGERY
Maxillomandibular advancement or MMA
surgery, anteriorly repositions the maxillary and
mandibular framework and their attending
muscular attachments.
It pulls forward the anterior pharyngeal tissues
attached to the maxilla, mandible and hyoid to
structurally enlarge the entire velopharynx,
As well as to enhance the neuromuscular tone of
the pharyngeal dilator muscles via an extra-
pharyngeal operation
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Procedure:
The maxillary surgery performed is a standard
LeFort I osteotomy which is advanced 10-14
mm and stabilized with rigid internal fixation.
Bone grafts are required to fill in the gaps
created by the large advancement.
The mandible is advanced 10-14 mm by a
bilateral sagittal split osteotomy and stabilized
with rigid internal fixation with bicortical
screws.
Additional maxillomandibular skeletal fixation
can help prevent skeletal relapse.
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VII. DISTRACTION OSTEOGENESIS
FOR TREATMENT OF OSAHS
Advantages:
It eliminates the need for bone grafting, which is
usually required when large amounts of skeletal
advancement are performed
It involves less surgical dissection because the
lengthening is the result of natural bone healing in a
gap created by a simple osteotomy.
The incremental skeletal movement allows
accommodation of the soft tissues, thus enabling
large skeletal movement that cannot be achieved by
conventional techniques.
The improved soft tissue accommodation also
improves the stability of the new skeletal position.
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Disadvantages:
Although less surgical dissection is
necessary, procedure is highly technique
sensitive. Parallelism of the distraction vectors
is extremely important to avoid malocclusion.
This can be quite difficult in simultaneous
maxillo-mandibular advancement with 4
distraction devices.
The most significant disadvantage for
distraction osteogenesis in the treatment of
sleep apnea in adult patients is the length of
treatment time (may take up to 4 months)
The weakness of regenerated bone and the
presence of distraction devices and arch bars
significantly affect the patients mastication
and speech.

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Conclusion
In rapidly industrializing country like India, with
soaring rates of obesity, it is quite likely that
prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea is far
higher than detected and rising rapidly
Although this disease traditionally thought to
affect mainly middle aged obese person of male
sex, over recent years there has been
increasing evidence of occurrence of this
disease in persons with certain craniofacial
structures and female sex
The Orthodontist, in concert with trained medical
personnel can render valuable service in
diagnosis and treatment of OSA
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At present there are several mandibular
advancement appliances, which has been
shown to enjoy high compliance rates and
achieve excellent resolution of symptoms
It is important however for these patients to
undergo regular medical referrals to monitor
their condition and switch to an alternative
treatment plan if required
Thus, there can be no doubt that Orthodontist
has a vital role to play in identifying as well as
treating OSA patients
It would thus be important for Orthodontist to
make themselves aware of the procedures and
responsibilites involved in multi-disciplinary
management of OSA
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