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Dental Sleep Medicine Conference Focuses on Treatment Tools

We at DSM Solutions would like to present exciting findings proposed at the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, which held its annual 2018 conference in Baltimore, MD. Six remarkable abstracts were presented to all conference attendees. These abstracts focused on how successful newer treatments could be for patients that were older as well as up-and-coming diagnostic tools for detection in pediatric settings. However, other abstracts focused on the overall clinical effectiveness that oral appliance therapy had on cardiovascular health and exhaustion. Additional abstracts received research awards as well.

Dr. Marc Braem, et al. presented an abstract that focused on the impact of the mandibular advancement device (MAD) on exhaustion and sleepiness when treating patients with sleep apnea. The abstract measured and scored the level of exhaustion and sleepiness in patients while using this device. This abstract included 41 patients who completed a diagnostic questionnaire based on two separate sleep scales, the Checklist of Individual Strength (CIS) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Patients provided feedback on their experience with the MAD device. They completed the questionnaire at the beginning of the study and at the end. The CIS was found to provide more information about the effectiveness of the MAD than the ESS.

A second key abstract, written by Dr. Marike Dieltjens, et al. included a study of 31 patients that evaluated the overall clinical and cardiovascular effects of the MAD. Thirty-one patients used the MAD for six months and the results revealed that this device was effective in improving cardiovascular health. Results revealed notable improvement in left ventricle performance as well as with positive airway pressure.

The 2018 AADSM annual conference shared abstracts and studies that demonstrated the effectiveness of oral appliance therapies when treating patients with sleep apnea. Other abstracts were presented and received awards as well. Dr. Greenman and your Westlake Village, CA sleep apnea dental consultant team know the importance of staying up to date on recent findings, and these results can be useful in updating how to evaluate and treat your patients with sleep apnea. For more up-to-date guidance on providing sleep apnea dentistry at your practice, be sure to call us today for a consultation.