Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Approximately 40% of adults over the age of 40 snore. Twenty-three percent of adults with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) fell asleep at the wheel during the past year. Reports range from 30-45% of patients with OSA have hypertension and a five-times greater incidence of heart attack. OSA is as prevalent as diabetes or asthma.
Physicians are just now beginning to understand the full effects of sleep disordered breathing on patients' overall health. They are also realizing that their golden cure, constant positive air pressure, has significant compliance issues. Dentists are being called upon by physicians at an increasing rate to treat OSA patients. The two most prevalent disorders, severe snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, can be successfully treated with dental devices.
