Sleep apnoea treatment is not easy for many Americans who cannot tolerate wearing a CPAP machine during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) may result in excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue and poor mental focus, according to Doctor Magnus Wilson, a dentist who is treating an increasing number of sleep apnoea patients with custom-made dental appliances. In a recent television interview held at the Cambridge Dental Group Clinic, Doctor Wilson talked about the condition with Broadcast Personality Allyn Mark of Industry Visions.
“If you snore, snort or gasp for air during sleep, there is a high probability you have Obstructive Sleep Apnoea,” Doctor Wilson said. “During an apnoea event, a person may stop breathing from ten seconds to over a minute. That leads to dangerously low blood oxygen levels. This alerts the brain to trouble causing a ‘micro-arousal’ in sleep. While the sleeper doesn’t become fully awake, this causes the jaw to move forward to restore breathing.
“Many patients cannot tolerate the CPAP machine, which is the first strategy of treatment. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine now recommends the use of oral appliances for the treatment of mild to moderate sleep apnoea. Oral appliance therapy uses custom-made oral devices that are compact and comfortable, similar in style to a mouth guard. These are the devices that are custom-fitted. They support the jaw while holding the airway open. While working with the patient’s primary care physician, we can together evaluate prior sleep studies and, if applicable, order a new study that the patient can perform at home. We fit the patient with a special electronic device for a home sleep test. Now, there is no need to stay overnight at a sleep clinic. With the results, we can make recommendations for the custom-fitted dental appliance. We also assist with the entire medical insurance determination of benefits and pre-approval so the patient is covered for any costs.”
