Patients' and sleeping partners' experience of treatment for sleep-related breathing disorders with a mandibular repositioning splint.
OBJECTIVE
To determine in detail the complications associated with the use of mandibular repositioning splints (MRS) to treat sleep-related breathing disorders.


METHODS
This prospective cross-sectional cohort study audits the management with mandibular repositioning splints of 121 patients suffering from sleep-related breathing disorders. Investigation of patients' and sleeping partners' perspectives on treatment was undertaken with the use of a questionnaire based study.


RESULTS
Sixty-eight per cent of respondents reported that they were compliant with treatment; various side effects were reported of which excess salivation was the most common. Investigation of sleeping partners' perspectives revealed that 70% felt that their partners' snoring was improved and 47% felt that their partner's breathing pauses during sleep were reduced. Sixty-four per cent of the sleeping partners also reported that their own sleep pattern had improved since their partner's treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Mandibular repositioning splints used in the manner described by this paper are demonstrated to have a good compliance rate, provide successful treatment and exhibit only minor, reversible side effects.
Bates
C J
CJ
Orthodontic Department, Victoria Hospital, Fife. claire_bates@hotmail.com
McDonald
J P
JP
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019230:Dental Audit; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019186:Mandibular Advancement / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017090:Occlusal Splints / Q000009:adverse effects; D016382:Orthodontic Appliance Design; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012798:Sialorrhea / Q000209:etiology; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000628:therapy*; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology; D012913:Snoring / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome