Sleep Review sister magazine Orthodontic Products wrote an excellent story detailing the role of an orthodontic practice in sleep apnea treatment.
And as for building those relationships with sleep doctors, Chmura admits it’s a bit of an uphill battle. Not only do you need to be able to talk the talk and show that you know sleep medicine, “You have to show them what you are doing and why you are doing it,” Chmura says. That can include educating sleep doctors on why an oral appliance isn’t the only solution to CPAP noncompliance.
On the other hand, “If they opt for an oral appliance, it’s easier to fit an oral appliance when the teeth are straight. To fit it to crooked teeth is very difficult. The other part is, once we align teeth, so long as we do something to hold them there, they stay aligned. So our solutions are more permanent than just putting in your oral appliance.” Still, Chmura knows it’s going to take some time, more patients, and more documentation before sleep doctors will say, “That’s right. Let’s think about orthodontics for this one.”
