Oral Appliances Indications in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Abstract

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a respiratory disorder that causes upper airway obstruction during sleep. The performance of a dentist in patients with OSA is evidenced by the preparation and indication of the Oral Appliances (OA) as a treatment measure. The OAs are devices used in the oral cavity during sleep avoiding an obstruction of the oropharynx. These are classified as lingual, mandibular and/or conjugate control devices. Objective: To describe the OA models and to make explicit the indication of each one for the type of apnea in question. Methodology: A database was searched (Pubmed, Scielo) using the following documents: Intraoral device, lingual control, mandibular advancement, indication. Publications from 2010 to 2017 were included in the Portuguese and English languages whose content was pertinent to the theme. Results and Discuss: 60 articles were found. Of these, 24 directly addressed the theme and only 4 articles were used. A practicality and comfort provided by the OAs make them more accepted and indicated for OSA. The indications for the use of OAs include: patients with the diagnosis of mild, moderate and severe OSA. The lingual control device is based on control of the positioning of the aforementioned organ and is indicated for patients with extensive dental loss, edentulous, periodontal problems, temporomandibular dysfunction and bruxism. The most commonly indicated mandibular advancement OA is retained by teeth and protrudes the mandible in order to increase the volume of the oropharynx. Ideal for patients with at least 10 teeth in each arch and on a semi-flexible model for transport conditions, small mandibular movements. Conclusion: The indication of AIO depends on the oral cavity conditions and the general health of the patient and are potentially capable of improving the quality of life of an OSA carrier.