Abstract

This study compared the effectiveness of an anterior repositioning device, the Silent Nite®, to two new treatments in their ability to stop/reduce snoring. Comfort and side effects of each treatment were also evaluated.

Twenty-three subjects, in good medical condition along with their spouse/partner participated in the five-week study. A disposable sleep apnea screener, SleepStrip,™ was used to select only non-sleep apnea patients. The treatments tested were: (1) Silent Nite® (control - Treatment A), (2) Loma Linda Appliance (Treatment B), and (3) Snore Tape (Treatment C). Each participant received all three treatments separated by a one week "wash-out" period of no treatments. The subjects and their spouse/partner completed a questionnaire at the beginning of the study and following each week of treatment. The data were statistically analyzed using a non-parametric technique at the significance level α = 0.05 to detect significant differences in the effectiveness among the three treatments.

Overall treatment results showed no statistically significant difference among all three treatments (p=0.6657). According to the spouse/partner, 78.26% (18), 52.17% (12), and 73.91% (17) reported Treatment A, Treatment B, and Treatment C respectively, stopped/reduced the patient's snoring. This indicated a statistically significant difference between Treatment A and Treatment B (p=0.0213), but not between Treatment A and Treatment C (p=0.3018) or Treatment B and Treatment C (p=0.3323). However, according to the patient, 65.23% (15), 43.48% (10), and 47.83% (11) reported that Treatment A, Treatment B, and Treatment C respectively, stopped/reduced their snoring. These values were not statistically significantly different (p=0.5558).

Overall side effects resulting from Treatment A were signficantly greater than Treatment C (p=0.0135). Treatment A caused significantly greater tooth discomfort (p=0.0005), occlusal changes (p=0.0013), TMJ pain (p=0.0063), and TMJ noises (p=0.0361) than Treatment C.

Sleep habits (p=0.2382) and compliance with the instructions given at the start of the study (p=0.3942) were not statistically different for all treatment methods.

Despite the small sample size, the spouse/partner found the Silent Nite and the Snore Tape (patent pending) to be equally effective in reducing/stopping snoring. However, the patients found the Snore Tape (patent pending) to be more comfortable, have fewer side effects, and may be more cost-effective.

LLU Discipline

Prosthodontics

Department

Prosthodontics

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Wayne V. Campagni

Second Advisor

Guillermo Bernal

Third Advisor

Jay Kim

Fourth Advisor

Carlos A. Munoz-Viveros

Fifth Advisor

W. Patrick Naylor

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

2003

Date (Title Page)

12-2003

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Snoring -- therapy; Sleep Apnea Syndromes; Sleep Disorders

Type

Thesis

Page Count

ix; 79

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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