The study was designed to perform a preliminary assessment of the efficiency of the use of mandible advancement devices for treating light snoring (ronhopatie) and sleep apnea. In order to perform this study we investigated 21 patients that came to the Pneumophtysiology Clinic of Iasi between 2006-2008, of whom 15 were men and 6 were women aged between 31-52 years, (average age 41.5 years), for night breathing investigations.
The patients experienced day fatigue, focusing difficulties, apnea reported by their family, night saliva loss and snoring. The exclusion criteria were chronic heart failure, diabetes and severe OSA suspicions. All the patients were subjected to OSA investigations by means of sleep respiratory polygraphy in order to diagnose a possible sleep apnea and to determine the type of adequate treatment for each patient. Depending on the AHI, the patients were classified either as suffering from a light OSA (AHI = 5-15/hour), or as not suffering from OSA at all (AHI<5/hour) but only ronhopathy, the latter being sent to the Gnato-Prosthetics Clinic of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Iasi for dental investigations.
The oral devices used were Somnoguard, Somnofit and individualized guards. We monitored to the efficiency of these devices in light OSA and i ronhopathy and the patients compliance to them.