Ordering sleep studies, co-treatment with physicians, education, and action. Each component is critical to help treat this increasingly common issue.
Decreasing the number of undiagnosed cases of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may reduce automobile accidents, improve quality of life, and reduce the risk of chronic health problems, according to the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.1 Moreover, proper screening and diagnosis can contribute to relieving the burden on the health-care system by decreasing utilization, as well as costs associated with doctor visits.
As we share with our patients, there is a critical process to treating sleep apnea either with an oral appliance or with the traditional CPAP machine. These steps include:
- Ordering sleep studies
- Co-treating our patients with physicians
- Continuing education so that Dr. Ellis is abreast of the latest treatment options
- Taking action with our patients
Sleep apnea can be treated at Ellis Dental
Many patients see their dentists more frequently than their other doctors, and spend more time on a per-visit basis with them. This creates the need for a dental environment that serves patients better in the identification, screening, and treatment of OSA.
To read more about this process and how dentists are working better treat obstructive sleep apnea, follow this link to read the latest article in Dental Economics magazine.
References
http://www.dentaleconomics.com/articles/print/volume-107/issue-6/science-tech/what-every-dentist-needs-to-know-about-sleep-apnea.html