When new patients come into my office, I always ask if they have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. It’s an important piece of their medical history that I need to know before I begin sedation. If a patient has been diagnosed with sleep apnea, I will treat him or her differently and monitor them more closely. A few years ago, a patient said no when I asked her this question. I … [Read more...]
XyliMelts oral adhering discs in the management of oral dryness associated with treating sleep apnea
Dentists are in a unique management position with respect to the treatment of OSAS because they can provide primary care via the prescription of intra-oral appliances in cases of mild to moderate OSAS and, in addition, they can aide in managing the dry mouth that frequently occurs during treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), the most common medical … [Read more...]
Whole Body Alignment: Physical Therapy for TMD
What percentage of patients that you have fit with an anterior mandibular positioning device return complaining of jaw and/or face pain? One study reports the incidence as high as 40% in long-term users, and up to 50% of all patients quit using the device because of dissatisfaction with side-effects.1 What if you could increase compliance by addressing undesired pain without … [Read more...]
Mandibular Advancement Devices
Predicting, Preventing, and Managing Complications As the dental profession continues to define its role in the assessment and management of sleep related breathing disorders, the need to provide education based on research and clinical experience is clearly recognized. Though scientific investigations and technology have provided systems and protocol to diagnose a wide … [Read more...]
A New Screening Tool Connects Cormobidities to Sleep Disordered Breathing
Illuminating medical conditions that often accompany sleep disordered breathing can help patients understand the necessity of treating the disease causing their conditions. The prevalence of comorbidities can help assess the risk of having sleep disordered breathing. Since many medical providers must collaborate to ensure complete patient care, increasing interdisciplinary … [Read more...]
What’s the Problem with Oral Appliance Therapy for Obstructive Apnea?
by John E. Remmers, M.D. Even though they are preferred by patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and such patients use them faithfully, mandibular protruding dental appliances (MPDA) are prescribed for OSA only in a small minority of cases. Only 5% of all treated OSA patients receive oral appliance therapy (OAT). That’s right, the rest are treated with continuous … [Read more...]
