Snoring Isn't Sexy® Welcomes Talk About Sleep Visitors
We are delighted that you took this opportunity to learn more about how specially educated dentists can offer solutions to those who may be having difficulty accomodating to CPAP and those whose CPAP pressures need to be high enough to be uncomfortable. While CPAP is the primary treatment for sleep apnea, dental mouthpieces know as oral appliances can function as a reliable, unobstrusive alternative to CPAP.
The Amercian Academy of Sleep Medicine has approved oral appliance therapy in a recent parameters paper published in the journal Sleep:
Oral appliances (OAs) are indicated for use in patients with mild to moderate OSA who prefer them to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, or who do not respond to, are not appropriate candidates for, or who fail treatment attempts with CPAP. Until there is higher quality evidence to suggest efficacy, CPAP is indicated whenever possible for patients withsevere OSA before considering OAs. Oral appliances should be fitted by qualified dental personnel who are trained and experienced in the overall care of oral health, the temporomandibular joint, dental occlusion and associated oral structures.
Oral appliances are small, convenient dental mouthpieces that are fitted to the upper and lower jaws that reposition the lower jaw in a forward position opening the airway in throat. There are literally over 80 different appliances so that the dentist you choose should be well-versed in which appliance would be best for you.
Choosing a Dentist
Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea can be serious medical problems. Improperly treated obstructive sleep apnea can increase the risk for heart attack, stroke, diabetes and other serious illnesses. Choosing a sleep-disorders dentist who is qualified to work with your physician is essential to your health or the health of a loved one.
The dentist you choose to treat your problem with sleep disordered breathing must be properly educated and with adequate experience. Legally, any dentist can treat snoring and/or sleep apnea with an oral appliance, however, that does not mean that every dentist has the necessary experience and training to provide proper therapy. Because no special qualifications are required it is your responsibility to choose your dentist wisely and, If possible, work with a dentist that is board certified by the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine.
A qualified sleep-disorders dentist should have:
- Appropriate knowledge of sleep medicine
- Adequate training in oral appliance therapy
- Years of experience with many different appliance types
- Solid relationships with local sleep labs, sleep physicians and your family physician
- Current knowledge of emerging trends
- Ability to derive maximum insurance benefits for you
- A team approach with other professionals
- A proven follow-up system to ensure healthy results long-term
- In-depth knowledge of oral appliance research
Since sleep disorders dentistry is not a recognized specialty, it is your responsibility to thoroughly evaluate a dentists qualifications to perform this MEDICAL therapy. As mentioned abouve, any dentist can legally treat snoring and sleep apnea but obstructive sleep apnea is a serious medical problem that has been associated with cardiac problems, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, ED and numerous other medical problems. Neither snoring nor sleep apnea should be taken lightly as your health is at stake. Recent research is beginning to explore the complex interrelationship beetween sleep apnea and these other medical problems. Management by a dentist should always involve interaction with your family physician, cardiologist, pulonologist and/or endocrinologist.
Snoring Isn't Sexy®
We invite you to visit the various pages of our site, we're sure you'll find some interesting information and if you are looking for a dentist trained in the dental aspects of sleep medicine, vist our Find a Dentist Directory.
