The Efficacy of Various Orthodontic Appliances in the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Abstract

Objective. The goal of this review was to determine the effectiveness of different types of monobloc and bibloc mandibular advancement device (MAD) devices in the treatment of all forms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), by reviewing the available literature.

Methods. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, ResearchGate, NCBI and Google Scholar databases. The search included articles in English, published in the inclusive time period from 2000 to 2024.

Results. A total of 13 studies were analyzed that directly compared the effectiveness of monobloc and bibloc devices. The studies were published in the period from 2000 to 2024, and included crossover and parallel randomized controlled trials, as well as cross and parallel cohort studies. Out of the 13 studies, four were classified as RCT parallel studies, six were RCT crossover studies, two cohort parallel studies, and one cohort crossover study. The duration of the studies was variable, ranging from four weeks to one year, with six studies having a so-called “washout period” between the use of monobloc and bibloc MAD devices.

Conclusion. Both monobloc and bibloc devices show significant success rates in the treatment of mild to moderate OSA.