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...]
The Use of Vertical in Our Practice by Dr. Todd Morgan
Background The importance of incorporating vertical dimension (VDO) into jaw positioning for treatment of OSA with oral appliances has been largely overlooked in the Dental Sleep Medicine community. Although some commercial bite registration products include a vertical component, there is little critical evidence to support their use. Additionally, early work by Peter Cistulli … [Read more...]
Temporomandibular Disorders
by Steven D. Bender, DDS Abstract Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are common in the general population. Patients who suffer with sleep disordered breathing (SDB) may have existing signs and/or symptoms of TMDs or develop these disorders during treatment with mandibular advancement type oral devices (MADs). When treating SDB patients with MAD therapy, it is critical to … [Read more...]
Open Airways,Open Bites-Important Choices for Your Patients
Imagine committing three years of your life and money to learn fine occlusion, then be told you are going to mess it all up in some patients. That was me 10 years ago as a first year Prosthodontic resident who had just been introduced to the use of Mandibular Repositioning Devices (MRDs) to treat Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) conditions. I was informed by my dental sleep … [Read more...]
The Perfect Start System is Effective in Addressing Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Children
by Earl O. Bergersen, DDS, MSD Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Children can manifest itself in various symptoms that can easily be overlooked, misdiagnosed, and be left untreated. Common labels placed on these children are ADD/ADHD. It is extremely important for the dental community to understand sleep-disordered breathing, the cause, the cure, and how to … [Read more...]
Oral Appliance Therapy for the Edentulous PAP Intolerant Patient
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder characterized by repetitive collapse of the upper airway during sleep, with consequences of nocturnal hypoxemia and recurrent arousals from sleep. The prevalence of OSA is significant and increasing with greater obesity and aging of populations. In addition to decreased neurocognitive performance from recurrent nocturnal arousals, … [Read more...]
Airway Development and Prevention of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Children
A Case Report, part 2 by Juan-Carlos Quintero, DMD, MS Previously we discussed the correlation between dento-facial patterns and pharyngeal airway measurements as a risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). All dentists should understand these relationships and be in tune with the role 3D imaging plays in the screening for patients at risk for OSA. Dentists are often … [Read more...]
Dr. Todd Morgan — Curious About Better Patient Care
You may think your impact is limited to your patients, or to the doctors you work with. Think bigger, like Dr. Todd Morgan; one of the true pioneers of our field, and you might be part of shaping entire fields of medicine. His story begins with his early research and what he called the “Jaw Advancement Device.” As a busy clinician and patient advocate, he has continued to … [Read more...]
