by Kristie Gatto, MA, CCC-SLP, Certified Orofacial Myologist Ideal health and function of the body is directly dependent upon optimal breathing patterns. Just as breathing impacts cellular regeneration; blood oxygenation; overall brain function; hormonal levels; and the strength and stamina of the muscular system, poor breathing patterns can also impact the development … [Read more...]
Orthodontic Treatment Strategies for Sleep Apnea in Children
by Dr. Satish Pai Snoring during sleep is fairly common among people of all ages, but you shouldn’t just assume it’s normal. Adults who snore heavily or loudly may be suffering from sleep apnea, and the same may be true for a child who snores or has noticeable breathing sounds when they’re asleep. Snoring is usually the most noticeable indicator of Obstructive Sleep Ap … [Read more...]
How Children Breathe Sets the Stage for Life
by Daniel S. Bruce, DDS, D,ABDSM and Bethany A. Bewley, RDH, MS When adult patients with sleep-related breathing disorders come into my office for treatment, they often ask me why they developed sleep apnea in the first place. After all, it makes sense that natural selection should eliminate unfavorable traits, (such as choking in your sleep) and therefore, the genes that … [Read more...]
Compliance Monitoring in Oral Appliance Therapy for OSA:“Time to Level the Playing Field”
by Neal Seltzer, DMD, FAGD, D.ABDSM, D.ACSDD, D.ASBD The time-tested, leading treatment options for Obstructive Sleep Apnea have been variations of surgery, Positive Air Pressure, Oral Appliance Therapy, or any combination of the three. There have been several other valid attempts to treat OSA such as EPAP (expiratory positive air pressure), hypoglossal nerve stimulation, … [Read more...]
Teledontic, Pharyngorofacial Orthopedic Treatment for OSA by Dr. Joseph Z. Yousefian
Alex was devastated. His best friend Brandon invited him and couple of other friends to go to Disneyland with his family. He and Brandon were inseparable at school, even over the weekends. But Alex was afraid and decided not to go. If he went on the trip and shared one of the double beds in the hotel with Brandon, Alex knew he’d probably wet the bed while sleeping. Alex’s sto … [Read more...]
Aussie Dentist in OSA Breakthrough
O2Vent™ unique airway acts as second nose Australian dentist Dr. Chris Hart was a chronic sleep apneic with severe nasal congestion. In an act of desperation one sleepless night, he fashioned the prototype of what would become the O2Vent™ T. This “light bulb” moment led to developing a customized oral appliance with an internal airway to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) … [Read more...]
Physician and Dentist Co-Referrals Improve Patient Outcome by Mayoor Patel, DDS, MS
It’s clear that the availability of oral appliance therapy (OAT) is a successful form of treatment for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The availability of OAT helps dental sleep medicine specialists treat patients suffering from mild to moderate sleep apnea. However, OAT isn’t always the best form of treatment for patients. If OAT doesn’t produce the results dental … [Read more...]
Patient Selection: Understanding Overlooked Sleep Disordered Breathing Symptoms
There are many signs and symptoms to look for in our patients that are indicative of Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB), but what signs and symptoms could we be missing? We can simply ask our patients how well they’re sleeping, but when answering that question; many patients won’t consider that they may be suffering from the most common form of SDB, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). … [Read more...]
Maxillofacial-Mandibular Advancement and Oral Appliance Therapy
Creating A Pathway To Successful Treatment Choosing the appropriate sleep apnea treatment for your patients depends on a number of factors, including the cause and severity of their condition, their medical history, and their personal preferences. Understanding when to utilize an oral appliance or when to explore the option of maxillofacial-mandibular advancement (MMA) … [Read more...]
Employing Acoustic Pharyngometry to Improve Efficacy Of Oral Airway Therapy Device When Mandibular Advancement Is Ineffective
Essential Technology for Any Dental Sleep Medicine Practice? You Decide! Interest in Sleep Medicine (SM) and Dental Sleep Medicine (DSM) has grown considerably over the past decade; between 2002 and 2013 the number of articles published about SM/DSM grew from approximately 500 articles to more than 1500 and the trend continues. DSM’s growth has mirrored that of sleep medicine – … [Read more...]
