Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)
epiglottis, overbite
All patients underwent two CBCT scans (NewTom 5G, QR systems, Italy) at the department of Oral Radiology of ACTA: a baseline scan and a follow-up scan with the MAD in situ (in the same protrusion position as during the follow-up PSG recording). The exposure settings were 110 kV, 4 mA, 0.3 mm voxel size, 3.6-s exposure time (pulsed radiation), and 18–36-s scanning time, depending on the size of the patient [Using Amira® software (v4.1, Visage Imaging Inc., Carlsbad, CA, USA), upper airway segmentation was performed by applying the superior and inferior boundaries of the upper airway. The superior boundary of the upper airway was the palatal plane, and the inferior boundary was the horizontal plane across the base of the epiglottis (parallel to the palatal plane) (Fig. Measurements of the upper airway dimensions using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging. (All of the upper airway variables were measured by an experienced examiner. To test the intra-rater reliability of the assessment of the upper airway, 10 CBCT scans were randomly selected and re-measured after a 1-month interval of the original measurements.Based on baseline and follow-up CBCT images, the vertical opening with the MAD in situ was determined in two steps in 3Diagnosys ® software (v5.3.1, 3diemme, Cantu, Italy). Firstly, the overbite was measured based on baseline CBCT images (Fig. Measurements of mandibular vertical opening using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging. (