A Case for the Patient Treatment Pathway for Oral Device Therapy
With CPAP being the gold standard for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, there hasn’t been a strong focus in sleep medicine on the patient treatment pathway for oral device therapy. There didn’t have to be, because it was assumed that patients were using the optimal therapy for OSA treatment. However, not every patient experiences successful outcomes with CPAP, simply because they aren’t using it. To be specific, many patients give up on CPAP. The American Journal of Epidemiology published a study in 2013 that stated that about 4 out of every 10 of your CPAP patients are non-compliant. Once you uncover a CPAP intolerant patient, you can try an oral device as a treatment option, and guide your patients down a patient treatment pathway for oral device therapy.
Why Oral Devices and Why Now?
Why oral devices? The American Association of Sleep Medicine (AASM) issued the following statement:
“We recommend that sleep physicians consider prescriptions of oral appliances, rather than no treatment, for adult patients with obstructive sleep apnea who are intolerant of CPAP therapy or prefer alternate therapy.”
Oral devices are appropriate now, more than ever, because more and more patients are being left untreated.
The best clinical outcomes for oral device therapy are achieved when there is synergy between the sleep physician, the sleep dentist and the patient. A certified sleep dentist goes through extensive training to provide the best care, and relies on the sleep physician to prescribe the device and keeps the lines of communication open while the patient travels successfully through each step of the treatment pathway.
Using oral device therapy could be the treatment option that works best for your patient – and it’s certainly better than leaving them on a treatment that they won’t use.
Patients often feel hopeless when CPAP fails. They need to know that there’s another option, which you can provide them with when they ask “Now what?”. Use this guide to show patients the treatment pathway so that they develop the proper expectation for the process to successful therapy.
Steps to the Patient Treatment Pathway for Oral Device Therapy
- First, we tell patients that you – the sleep physician – will discuss treatment options with them. Besides surgery and weight loss, their main option after a CPAP failure is an oral device, which their dentist will custom fit for their mouths. IMPORTANT: Not all oral devices are the same, and with more than 15 clinical studies and a network of over 3,500 sleep dentists around the country, SomnoDent oral devices offer the efficacy and proven quality that far outweighs most devices on the market.
- Once you recommend COAT – Continuous Open Airway Therapy – via a SomnoDent device, the patient is directed to a SomnoMed dentist for a consultation visit.
- At the patient’s consultation, the SomnoMed dentist will meet with them to confirm that they are a qualified candidate for a SomnoDent device. SomnoMed offers a range of devices, many covered by most major medical insurance plans and even Medicare.
- Once a bite registration and impressions are taken and sent to SomnoMed, the dentist will invite the patient back in for a fitting appointment, to ensure that the device fits well and make any adjustments.
- The patient will be referred back to you – the sleep physician – for a follow-up visit to ensure they are comfortable and achieving success with their device.
- Using their SomnoDent COAT devices, people around the world have shared their stories with us…stories of dreaming again, having more energy, feeling better and enjoying restful, satisfying sleep at night.
With SomnoDent devices, our network of sleep physicians have provided more and more patients with a proven treatment option, helping the patient to restore their health and wellness.
Get started with SomnoDent for your CPAP alternative patients by accessing our physician resource library. Gain instant access to patient materials, clinical research, and more.
