[The edentulous patient with a mandibular advancement device]

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a prevalent disorder, with a significant portion of patients being edentulous. Continuous positive airway pressure therapy is the gold standard for treating obstructive sleep apnoea. Due to low compliance to this treatment method, however, effective alternative solutions are often looked for. The mandibular advancement device presents a potential option but is often dismissed for edentulous patients because of perceived issues with retention and stability. On the basis of a review of the literature regarding mandibular advancement device therapy in edentulous patients with obstructive sleep apnoea and a decision-making tool, the authors offer assistance to practitioners. The PRISMA guidelines were used for this scoping review. Literature was sourced from the MEDLINE database. This research suggests that mandibular advancement device therapy yields positive results in edentulous patients with obstructive sleep apnoea; all included studies reported a reduction in the Apnoea Hypopnea Index and encountered few therapy-related issues.