(American Thoracic Society) -- The respiratory symptoms of a group of children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) either completely regressed or improved considerably following their use for 6 months of a personalized oral, jaw-positioning appliance, Italian researchers reported.

After a 6-month trial, the respiratory symptoms of all 14 treated patients improved considerably, with half undergoing complete regression of their symptoms. The results of the sleep study test after the 6-month trial showed that apnea-hypopnea index scores were significantly lower for the treated children but unchanged for the control group of 9 children. (All appliances of the type studied work their therapeutic action by enlarging the upper airway.)

All young people in the treated group were fitted with an acrylic resin oral bite plate for lower jaw (mandible) positioning. All appliances were designed by an orthodontist to correct each patient's mandibular malpositioning in three spatial planes. They were checked monthly by the orthodontist to monitor functioning of the oral appliances.

The research appears in the first issue for January of the American Thoracic Society peer-reviewed American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.