Does an oral appliance reduce palatal flutter and tongue base snoring?
OBJECTIVE
Oral appliances are designed to treat snoring and sleep apnea by advancing the mandible and tongue. We test the hypothesis that an oral appliance affects palatal snoring as well as tongue base obstruction.


METHODS
Prospective observational cohort study. Sixty patients with a chief complaint of snoring with or without apnea were enrolled. Each patient underwent a home sleep test followed by 3 weeks sleeping with an oral appliance. Each patient then underwent a repeat home sleep test while using the device.


RESULTS
There was a statistically significant improvement in the snores per hour (P = 0.0005), the maximum snoring loudness (P = 0.0001), average snoring loudness (P = 0.00001), and the percentage of palatal snoring (P = 0.0007). There was also a significant decrease in oxygen desaturation events (P = 0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests oral appliances may be effective treatment for both palatal and tongue base snoring.
Stouder
Stephanie
S
Wilford Hall Medical Center, San Antonio, TX 78236, USA. loren.jones@lackland.af.mil
Jones
Loren
L
Brietzke
Scott
S
Mair
Eric A
EA
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009968:Orthodontic Appliances, Removable; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology; D012913:Snoring / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014059:Tongue / Q000503:physiopathology*