Oral Appliance Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 18 million Americans suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), making it as prevalent as diabetes or asthma in adults. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the most effective treatment for OSA. However, an oral appliance may be an effective alternative for patients who cannot use CPAP, particularly if their disease is not severe. There are a number of benefits to using an oral appliance, such as significant reduction in apneas for those with mild to moderate apneas, improvement in sleep quality and daytime alertness, lowered blood prsesure, and higher rates of adherence than typically seen in patients using CPAP. The ACCP Sleep Medicine NetWork, working in conjunction with the American Academy of Orofacial Pain, developed a patient education brochure that can be used to explain oral appliance therapy to patients. This free, modifiable, downloadable brochure is available to members to use in patient education in their practices.
Download the brochure now.