Issue 50.15
Simply stated, these recommendations said:
- Sleep physicians should prescribe oral appliances, rather than no therapy, for adults who request treatment of snoring.
- Custom appliances should be prescribed as opposed to non-custom appliances in treating sleep apnea.
- Sleep physicians should prescribe oral physicians to individuals who can’t tolerate CPAP devices.
- Qualified dentists should provide oversight of oral appliance therapy.
- Sleep physicians should conduct follow-up sleep testing once an individual is fitted with a custom appliance.
- Individuals fitted with a custom oral appliance should see their sleep physicians and/or qualified dentists on a regular basis.
Premier Sleep Solutions specializes in treating patients suffering from sleep apnea by fitting them with custom-made oral appliances. Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. If you snore loudly, and you feel tired even after a full night’s sleep, you may have sleep apnea. Premier Sleep Solutions’ oral appliances, which are similar to bleach trays in appearance, can often be used in place of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines. While CPAP machines have been used for years, recent research has shown that in many cases, custom-made oral appliances can be as effective as CPAP in treating sleep apnea. Plus, a substantial percentage of patients find CPAP machines to be so cumbersome that they eventually refuse to use them regularly, and as a result, their overall health suffers. Most insurance companies now cover oral appliance therapy and the oral appliances. Medicare is leading the way relative to standard of care within the industry.
For more information about oral appliances or to schedule a patient consultation, please contact Premier Sleep Solutions in St. George at (435) 319-0478 or visit our website at www.premiersleepsolutions.com. Premier Sleep Solutions has offices in St. George and Salt Lake City. The St. George office is located at 75 South 100 East, #1E, St. George, UT 84770.
Dr. Shad Morris, DMD, a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, the only certified diplomate of the American Academy of Sleep and Breathing in Southern Utah, and CEO of Premier Sleep Solutions LLC. If you snore or suffer from sleep apnea, you’ll be interested to learn of recent recommendations from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. Earlier this year, the two organizations commissioned a seven-member task force to come up with specific recommendations about oral appliances. These appliances can often be used in place of more cumbersome CPAP devices.