Multifactorial Approach to Increasing Oral Appliance Adherence in OSA Treatment
2017 AADSM/AASM Foundation Dental Research Grant
ALLEN FIRESTONE, DDS, MS
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
Key Project Outcome
Giving additional information and contact opportunities to patients who are using oral appliances to treat obstructive sleep apnea led to them wearing their appliances more frequently and longer compared with patients who didn’t get the extras. The group that received the extras wore their appliances an hour longer, 6 hours versus 5 hours, and more nights for 4 or more hours than the other group. These differences were measured objectively by sensors embedded in the oral appliances and the data read when the patients came to the dentist for routine visits. The patients were provided extra information through brochures from organizations like the American Academy of Sleep Medicine that was sent to their home. This intervention is inexpensive and can be provided by non-medical office personnel. The extra contact person can also be non-medical office personnel. The increase in time spent sleeping with the oral appliance in place in the extra information/contact group was large enough to suggest that it would make a difference in the clinical outcomes for the two groups. This aspect requires further study.
This research grant was supported by the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and the AASM Foundation.