Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) causes a variety of airway problems that can create dental treatment challenges for you and your patients. Many patients with airway breathing disorders, commonly referred to as sleep apnea, will present with aggressive wear and erosion, and premature failure of their teeth and dentistry, secondary to their airway issues. We believe that by expanding your knowledge on how the airway affects your patients, and their teeth, you will have greater success treating these patients that come into your office every day. 

In this introductory airway course, Dr. Kathy French dives into how airway issues differ between patients, what causes sleep apnea, and how variations of OSA affect dental treatment options.

After taking this course you will understand why dentists are often the first line of screening for OSA, and how you can use medical history, physical characteristics of your patients, and their oral anatomy to screen patients for obstructive sleep apnea. High resolution pulse oximetry is also reviewed as a screening tool, as well as tips to consider when selecting mandibular advancement appliances to treat your patients for obstructive sleep apnea. .