Journal of Dental Science and Medicine
Open Access

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a very serious sleep disorder that occurs when a personâ�?�?s breathing is interrupted during sleep. As it disrupts normal sleep, those affected are often sleepy or tired during the day. Sleep apnea results in low blood oxygen levels. It can lead to negative long-term health consequences regardless of sex, race or age, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, depression, and Alzheimerâ�?�?s disease. It is estimated that 22 million Americans suffer from OSA. However, these numbers are likely underestimates due the large proportion of sleep apnea sufferers yet to be diagnosed. Indeed, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine has declared sleep apnea the â�?�?Hidden Health Crisisâ�? in Aug 2016 as the underdiagnosis and undertreatment of the disease costs America billions of dollars each year. The latest research shows that OSA cost America $411 billion in 2016 from loss of productivity alone. While there are several options for treatment of OSA, the public remains largely uneducated regarding those options. The main treatment modality is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. While the acute effectiveness of CPAP therapy has been demonstrated, CPAP suffers a high rate of failure owing to poor patient compliance (noncompliance rates range from 46%-83%). Dental sleep medicine offers a simpler, noninvasive treatment option for sleep apnea. Mandibular Reposition Appliances (MRAs) or Mandibular Advancement Devices (MADs) move the mandible forward to improve upper airway patency. While MADs are also indicated as the first line of treatment for snorers, they are an effective, proven modality for the treatment of patients with mild-to-moderate OSA. MADs should also be considered for severe OSA patients who cannot tolerate CPAP therapy.

Biography

Chris Chui is a General Dentist, who clinically involved primarily in Dental sleep medicine. He has successfully treated numerous patients with snoring and sleep apnea issues. He is the Board Director of both International Academy of Sleep and the American Sleep and Breathing Academy. He is also currently the President-elect of Northern California Academy of General Dentistry. He utilizes the latest technology and the most up-to-date dental appliances to tackle the patients with sleep issues that a lot of Primary Care Providers and Board-Certified Sleep Physicians could not treat. He has been a leading family Dentist in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in Sleep Apnea, TMJ (Temporal Mandibular Joint Dysfunction) and orthopedic development for both children and adults. He is a Graduate from University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and University of California San Francisco with the degree in Doctor of Dental Surgery, he has been continuously recognized for his stellar work and genuine patient caring, receiving prestigious accolades such as KRON4 News, Best of the Bay Dentist, America’s Top Dentist, Fellow of International Congress of Oral Implantologists and Fellow of the International Association of Physiologic Aesthetics. His other professional affiliations include the American Academy Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. He has also attained the prestigious Mastership in Academy of General Dentistry.