Elements of Diagnosis and Non-surgical Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults from the Dental Medicine Perspective

Abstract

Dentists hold a key role in the context of ever-growing concerns regarding the management of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) in adults. Dentists’ contribution in this domain starts with the screening of patients with possible OSA. An earlier intervention for correcting a dento-maxillary anomaly or a parafunction will often serve as a preventive treatment with regard to possible OSA. Furthermore, dental medicine offers nowadays, apart from orthodontic and surgical treatment, a set of therapeutical methods, the most commonly used being the oral appliance and myofunctional therapies. Another important sphere of professional responsibility of the dentist involved in the treatment of OSA consists of periodical examinations focused on assessing clinical evolution, corrective interventions on oral appliances and interventions for preventing local complications. On the other hand, recent studies indicate the potential of different pharmacotherapy agents on OSA pathophysiology, severity and treatment. These agents have shown promising results in improving the efficacy of other therapies dedicated to OSA, therefore, current topics in modern scientific research include the evaluation of standard, even higher doses of single agents or the combination of different agents on the evolution of OSA, as well as the assessment of the association of diverse pharmacotherapy agents with other OSA therapies.