Impact of sleep nasendoscopy on the outcome of mandibular advancement splint therapy in subjects with sleep-related breathing disorders.

Aim: To evaluate the impact of positive sleep nasendoscopy, with simultaneous mandibular advancement, on the outcome of mandibular advancement splint therapy in 120 subjects with sleep-related breathing disorders.

Methodology: Overnight polysomnography and sleep nasendoscopy were performed prior to splint therapy. Follow-up sleep studies, with the appliance in situ, were undertaken for those patients with obstructive sleep apnoea. Subjective outcome measures assessed daytime sleepiness and snoring.

Results: One hundred and seven (89 per cent) subjects completed the study. Follow-up sleep studies confirmed the efficacy of treatment, with patients showing a mean reduction in apnoea/hypopnoea index (from 18.9 to 4.9, p<0.001), Epworth sleepiness scale scores (from 11 to seven, p<0.001) and partner-recorded snoring scores (from 14 to eight, p<0.001).

Conclusion: Sleep nasendoscopy, with concomitant mandibular advancement to mimic the treatment effect, could be of prognostic value in determining successful mandibular advancement splint therapy.