Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39344419›Full record

Trial reportJournal of oral rehabilitation2025

Elastic Bands Improve Oral Appliance Treatment Effect on Obstructive Sleep Apnoea: A Randomised Crossover Trial.

Ulrik Leidland Opsahl, Morten Berge, Sverre Lehmann, Bjørn Bjorvatn, Anders Johansson

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of oral rehabilitation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Ulrik Leidland OpsahlDepartment of Clinical Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, Center for Translational Oral Research (TOR), University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4312-4137
Morten BergeDepartment of Clinical Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, Center for Translational Oral Research (TOR), University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Sverre LehmannNorwegian Competence Center for Sleep Disorders, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
Bjørn BjorvatnNorwegian Competence Center for Sleep Disorders, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
Anders JohanssonDepartment of Clinical Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, Center for Translational Oral Research (TOR), University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7933-1624

Funding

Universitetet i Bergen
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOral appliances (OAs) that limit mouth opening during sleep, such as monobloc appliances, have shown superior treatment effects in subgroups of patients with obstructive sleep apnoea. The application of elastic bands on bibloc appliances may resemble these benefits.

objectivesThe primary objective was to investigate if application of elastic bands to bibloc appliances improves treatment success (> 50% reduction of respiratory event index (REI)), in addition to other subjective variables. Furthermore, we aimed to identify variables predicting the need for elastic bands in OA treatment.

methodsIncluded patients (n = 69) were randomly assigned to OA treatment with or without elastic bands. After 3 weeks, treatment effect was investigated with home respiratory polygraphy and questionnaires. Thereafter, patients changed treatment modality, with identical follow-up regime. Statistical analyses were performed using Student's t-test and Pearson's chi-squared test to investigate differences between the two treatment modalities, and logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate variables tentatively associated with treatment success.

resultsBased on REI, the success rate with OA treatment was in favour of elastic bands (53.9% vs. 34.6%, p = 0.002). Male sex and larger maximum mouth opening were identified as predictors for increased treatment success with elastic bands. The main benefit with elastic bands seemed to be greater reduction of REI when supine. However, patients seem to prefer OA without elastic bands.

conclusionsElastic bands improved OA treatment effect by reducing the REI in supine position. Patient groups that seemed to benefit from elastic bands in OA treatment were men with large maximum mouth openings.

Indexed as

Cross-Over StudiesSleep Apnea, ObstructiveAdultFemaleHumansMaleMandibular AdvancementMiddle AgedPolysomnographySurveys and QuestionnairesTreatment Outcomemonoblocmouth openingoral appliance designpositional OSApredictionrandomised

Identifiers

PMID39344419
PMCPMC11680498

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.