How do dental appliances treat sleep apnea?
Numerous appliances are available to treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. Research has shown that many dental appliances are quite effective and can now be considered as an alternative to other treatments. Dental appliances offer several advantages over other treatments. They’re inexpensive compared with other treatments, they’re non-invasive and non-surgical, they’re easy to fabricate, and they’re […]
How is obstructive sleep apnea treated?
There are many treatments for sleep apnea including surgical procedures, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines, and oral appliances that keep the jaw in place during sleep. Practical Measures Lose weight. People with severe sleep apnea are almost always overweight. Losing weight will reduce excess tissue volume in the upper airway, decrease the load in the chest […]
How is obstructive sleep apnea diagnosed?
A definitive diagnosis of OSA can only be accomplished by a sleep test called a polysomnogram. During sleep a polysomnogram machine measures ventilation, gas exchange, cardiac rhythm, the number and length of apneic episodes, assesses oxygen saturation, determines sleep stages, and detects arousals. With new mobile sleep technology, this test can be taken in the […]
What are some of the signs and symptoms?
Adults Heavy Snoring Gasping or choking during the night Excessive daytime sleepiness Frequent arousals during sleep Non-refreshed sleep Restless sleep Morning headaches Nausea Personality changes such as becoming irritable or temperamental Severe anxiety or depression Poor job performance Clouded memory Intellectual deterioration Occupational accidents Impotence Decreased sex drive Bruxing Dry mouth when you awaken Scratchy […]
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a serious condition. The airway closes many times during the night significantly reducing oxygen levels in the body disrupting sleep. In varying degrees, this can result in excessive daytime sleepiness, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, reflux, depression, heart attack, stroke, and death. Sleep apnea causes a significant drop of oxygen levels […]
AARD 2010
It is critical for the dental profession, and for patients, that dentists practice evidence-based dentistry. However, in a contemporary product-driven world, it is becoming increasingly difficult for many clinicians to practice at this level. One of the primary reasons for this is that there is a paucity of evidence available in the upper levels of […]
AARD 2009
In the past decade, there has been an explosion in the volume of dental literature. New journals have been introduced on a regular basis and are competing with many of the established journals with a long history of publication. Dentists are urged to practice evidence-based dentistry at a time when commercialization of the profession has […]
AARD 2005
This review of current dental literature published in 2004 summarizes articles selected on the basis of new information or important confirmatory results that contribute to the advance of dentistry. In addition to the summary presented, there are comments on the relative strength of the evidence presented in the published reports cited. The quality and validity […]