Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Its Prosthodontic Approach-Part I
“Unveiling the Obstruction”
Authors:
Kanimozhi S, Denny Xavier G, Ranukumari A, Shakila R, Ilangkumaran R, Karthi Arivarasan N, Savitha K, Gowtham Raj T
Author Affiliations
Kanimozhi S Assistant Professor, Department of Prosthodontics and crown & Bridge, Mahatma Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Puducherry, India
Denny Xavier G Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Sri Venkateshwaraa Dental College, Puducherry, India Email:
suryaselvam1012@gmail.com
Ranukumari A Professor and Head, Department of Prosthodontics and crown & Bridge, Mahatma Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Puducherry, India
Shakila R Professor, Department of Prosthodontics and crown & Bridge, Mahatma Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Puducherry, India
Ilangkumaran R Assistant Professor, Department of Prosthodontics and crown & Bridge, Mahatma Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Puducherry, India
Karthi Arivarasan N Assistant Professor, Department of Prosthodontics and crown & Bridge, Mahatma Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Puducherry, India
Savitha K Assistant Professor, Department of Prosthodontics and crown & Bridge, Mahatma Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Puducherry, India
Gowtham Raj T Assistant Professor, Department of Prosthodontics and crown & Bridge, Mahatma Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Puducherry, India
The subject of sleep medicine continue to offer great challenges and opportunities in terms of diagnosis, treatment planning and treatment based on qualitative evidence for dental professionals especially Prosthodontists. Short sleep duration and poor quality of sleep, increasingly common in our modern society, have many adverse effects on general health. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder in which a person frequently stops breathing during his or her sleep. The Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) is the average number of disordered breathing events per hour. Typically, OSA syndrome is defined as an AHI of 5 or greater with associated symptoms (e.g.: excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, or impaired cognition) or an AHI of 15 or greater, regardless of associated symptoms. Although the role played by the prosthodontists is still in its infancy, there is much to learn and understand in the rapidly evolving field of sleep medicine as the recognition of co-managing patients with sleep disorders by the prosthodontists is fast becoming a reality. This article discusses at length the prosthodontic perspectives of the research in the field of sleep medicine, particularly on obstructive sleep apnea.