Untreated sleep apnea can be life threatening.Dentistry can help snoring and OSA
The SleepApneaDMD App is an educational resource for patients and health professionals.
Dental Sleep Medicine has emerged as a safe and effective therapy in managing patients with all stages of obstructive sleep apnea.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends oral sleep appliances as first line treatment options for those with mild and moderate sleep apnea as well as for those individuals who are CPAP intolerant.
The dental treatment of Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) has emerged as an excellent option for patients suffering from snoring, upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Untreated sleep apnea leaves one at significant medical risk, can be life threatening, and evidence supports it can shorten life expectancy seven to ten years.
It is the challenge of sleep professionals working together to find the most comfortable, compliant and effective therapy for individuals diagnosed with OSA.
Dental treatment of OSA with Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT) includes the Mandibular Advancement Splint (MAS) and Tongue Retaining Device (TRD).
These devices are FDA-approved, custom-fabricated by a dentist with special training in Dental Sleep Medicine.
Medicare has approved the use of Oral Appliance Therapy in patients with documented mild, moderate and severe OSA. Third party Insurance is following suite also. Primary snoring is excluded from Medicare coverage.
SleepApneaDMD will be updated regularly to provide you with fresh and useful content.
Yours in Health
Thomas Bishara, DMD
Download