Role of dental sleep medicine in management of patients with obstructive sleep apnea disorders using a team approach

AbstractObjective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a significant social and health issue. An integrated multidisciplinary approach to OSA management may be the most effective owing to its multifactorial etiology. In this study, we evaluated the frequency and efficacy of various treatment modalities for OSA administered via an integrated care delivery model, and assessed the role of dental sleep medicine as part of a multidisciplinary team.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 1115 patients with OSA treated at the Tokyo Medical University Hospital’s Outpatient Clinic for OSA by a multidisciplinary team under one roof. The various treatment methods included the following: continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), oral appliance (OA), surgery, and behavioral treatment.Results: The patient number of study group was as follows: 771 (69.1%) CPAP; 240 (21.5%) OA; 76 (6.8%) behavioral treatment and 28 (3%) surgery. Because significantly fewer patients underwent surgery, there was a discrepancy be...