Oral Health and Dental Management

Obstructive sleep apnea, bruxism, and the TMD patient

4^th Asia Pacific Congress & Expo on Dental and Oral Health

July 27-29, 2015 Brisbane, Australia

David Shirazi

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: Oral Health Dent Manag

Abstract:

Obstructive Sleep Apnea, otherwise called Sleep Disordered Breathing, is a well documented sleep breathing disorder with an extremely wide spectrum of correlated medical and dental consequences. The dental community as health providers can play an important role in referral as well as management for the disease itself. Meta-analysis of Oral Appliance Therapy as a standalone therapy for mild to moderate and some severe cases shows not only efficacy but as a viable alternative to conventional CPAP therapy when patients are intolerant. Evidence will be presented on Oral Appliance Therapy and its uses, as well as novel connection with bruxism and TMD. I am part of a multicenter observational study with over 1200 subjects showing strong correlation between internal derangement of the TM joints and OSA. The ability of the dental practitioner to aid in diagnosis as well as to treat carefully a serious medical condition will be discussed, the need for more dentists adequately aiding their medical colleagues in the field sleep dentistry cannot be overstated.