P100 Acceptance, Compliance and Efficacy of Oral Appliance Therapy by Patients Suffering from Sleep Apnoea.

Abstract Background Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) represents an established risk factor for several medical conditions. The evidence demonstrates that OSA can be effectively treated by an oral appliance. However, there less information about the role of an oral appliance in a clinical care model in terms of uptake and efficacy. This study aimed at examining the efficacy of an intervention in dental public health settings in Melbourne, Australia. Methods Data were collected from the 2018-2021. Participants who fitted inclusions criteria completed two instruments. The Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS) was used to assess the Subjective daytime sleepiness, and the Apnoea Hypopnea Index (AHI) objectively evaluated the severity of OSA. Participants were further asked to self-report felt improvements post intervention. Paired t-tests were used to compare pre-test and the post-test results. Results 34 participants had complete before and after data recorded. The mean age of the final samples of 66.4 (s.d., 14.2), the majority were female (67.7%). Participants unanimously acknowledged improvements after the intervention. Findings also indicated that after the intervention, participants had significantly lower EES scores compared to their baseline scores (6.9 vs 12.7; p<0.001). Regarding the AHI, at post-test, participants had significantly lower AHI scores compared to their baseline scores (13.8 vs. 19.2; p<0.001). Conclusions Present results indicate the use of oral appliance will ultimately benefit public patients who suffer from OSA. After the intervention, there were both objective and subjective improvements in OSA. Thus, findings provide valuable inputs and guidance for the design and implementation for larger efficacy trial.