ZetaMed’s range of dental devices incorporate fundamental mandibular advancement technology. Further development was achieved in-conjunction with Australia’s leading dentist’s, sleep physician’s and dental technician’s to overcome the limitations of all other appliances available to treat the needs of their patients.
Barnes et al.
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., 0 (2004), p. 200311157,
This paper published AJRCCM online 16/6/04 confirms the efficacy and effectiveness of the MDSA it now has published medical evidence to support its use as an alternative to CPAP.
The efficacy of currently – recommended treatments is uncertain in patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea (apnoea – hypopnea index 5-30). A group of 114 sleep clinic patients with apnoea- hypopnea index 5-30 have participated in a randomised controlled crossover trial of 3 months treatment with each of nasal continuous positive airways pressure, a mandibular advancement splint and a placebo tablet. Outcomes were sleep fragmentation and hypoxemia, daytime sleepiness, quality of life, neurobehavioral function and blood pressure.
Both active treatments improved sleep outcomes, but positive pressure had a greater effect.
Quality of life, symptoms and subjective but not objective sleepiness improved to a similar degree with both treatments, however many of the improvements seen in the neuropsychological function and mood were no better then the placebo effect.
Some aspects of nocturnal blood pressure were improved with the splint but not with continuous positive airway pressure.
This study has shown that although both continuous positive airways pressure and mandibular advancement device effectively treated sleep-disorder breathing and sleepiness, the expected response in neurobehavioral function was incomplete. This may be due to the splint having a lesser therapeutic effect, and the continuous positive airways pressure being poorly tolerated and therefore used less in this patient group.
(Products used; CPAP Resmed Australia. Oral Appliance MDSA supplied by RJ & VK Bird Pty Ltd)
A contemporary overview is provided in relation to: the rationale for their use; guidelines on patient selection; design features; clinical evidence of success; advantages; disadvantages; treatment objectives and follow-up and practical aspects to their provision.
Mandibular advancement appliances are now increasingly being recognised by sleep specialists as playing a valuable role in the management of sleep-disordered breathing. The dentist is ideally positioned and, with the appropriate training, could provide this relatively simple form of treatment for patients who suffer what can be a socially-embarrassing condition, with high levels of morbidity
