Airway Orthotics : Normalizing the Pathological Airway

The term “airway orthotic” (AO) is derived from the belief that these tooth-retained oral devices work by manipulating the jaw into the posture that best stabilizes the airway, thus normalizing airway behavior. Several studies have demonstrated their ability to normalize both airway structure and function through manipulation of mandibular posture. Although officially condoned for the treatment of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine in 1995, to date, issues such as AO candidacy selection, construction parameters, and titration settings continue to be dealt with through mostly anecdotal findings and subjective evaluation.