An interim mandibular advancement device used in conjunction with an immediate surgical appliance: A dental technique

Management of obstructive sleep apnea in patients who have undergone treatments for head and neck cancer (HNC) is not well understood. Continuous positive airway pressure (cPAP) has been typically administered via orofacial devices on a nightly basis, but immediate re-initiation of cPAP may increase the potential for postoperative morbidity after surgery. This dental technique details the process of designing, fabricating, and utilizing a custom interim oral prosthesis that combined features of palatal protection with mandibular advancement to aid in postoperative wound healing and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment. The device was manufactured using hybrid digital-analog techniques with stone casts and computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing technology (CAD-CAM). The device's effectiveness in protecting the surgical site while supporting OSA control was assessed to better inform the future treatment of similar clinical scenarios.