Statement of problem: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a life-threatening condition that is diagnosed and evaluated primarily by polysomnography (PSG). The procedure is time consuming, expensive, and inconvenient for the patient, and may not be universally available.
Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate posttreatment results on lateral cephalograms in patients with OSA.
Material and methods: Lateral cephalograms of 16 patients diagnosed with OSA were made at the beginning of treatment and 4-6 weeks following treatment. Treatment modalities used in the study were the mandibular advancement device (MAD) and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy (n=8). Pharyngeal dimensions, soft palate area and angle, and hyoid bone position were recorded for the comparisons. The data were analyzed using Student's t test for the parametric analysis (alpha=.05).
Results: A significant increase in the pharyngeal area (P<.001), a significant decrease in the soft palate area (P<.001), and vertical changes in the hyoid position were observed, with no significant change in the anteroposterior position of the hyoid bone.
Conclusions: Within the limitations of this pilot study, lateral cephalograms were shown to be useful in evaluating treatment efficacy in subjects with OSA.
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