When To Refer

Thank you for considering our office for referral of your patient with sleep disordered breathing. We assure you that we will inform you of our progress every step of the way. Rest assured that we will refer any and all dental problems back to your office for treatment.

If the medical history or the clinical exam is positive for the likelihood for sleep-disordered breathing, your patient will be referred to a qualified medical practitioner for objective diagnosis prior to any treatment. Following a medical diagnosis, oral appliance therapy can be considered in a team-effort with the physician.

Many patients with a previous diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea have already been placed on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) but may have a difficult time accommodating to this therapy. Research indicates that nearly half of those prescribed CPAP cannot tolerate it. In addition, surgical attempts at airway enhancement may not yield adequate results. In these cases, oral appliance therapy is often indicated and effective as alternative treatment.