JAW ADVANCEMENT DEVICES

This book analyzes the side effects associated with the use of mandibular advancement devices (MAD) an effective alternative for the treatment of sleep-disordered breathing. Although its effectiveness has been demonstrated its continued use can cause adverse effects from mild ones such as dry mouth or hypersalivation to more relevant ones such as dental muscular or joint discomfort and even possible occlusal or skeletal changes. A one-year study using questionnaires clinical examinations and CT scans evaluated these effects in patients with AMD. The results reveal that the most frequent symptoms were dental and mandibular pain without observing significant objective alterations at bone joint or dental level. Therefore it is concluded that the side effects are not clinically relevant and do not contraindicate the use of these devices in the treatment of sleep disorders.