Case of oral appliance treatment for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome--approach from the prosthodontic viewpoint

Patient: The patient was a 61-year-old woman with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) who was referred to our hospital for oral applianceOAtreatment. A mandibular advancing OA designed considering stomatognathic functions was fabricated. The OA was a one-piece maxillary splint and provided flat occlusal-plane guiding of the mandible into a therapeutic protrusive position at the mouth closing. OSAS indexes obtained by polysomnography after the OA treatment decreased than the values before treatment. No side effect was observed over the ensuing 3.5 years. Discussion: It has been reported the OAs for OSAS incur a number of side effects such as disorders of stomatognathic function, teeth displacement, and change of occlusion. In this case, no such sign or symptom was observed. Proper design of OA might contribute to a favorable prognosis in OSAS patients. Conclusion: This report suggests that OA designed considering stomatognathic functions is effective against OSAS and prevents side effects.