Denbar et al. Sleep Review 13(5); 40-48, 2012).
The jaw is stabilized in a forward position in such a way that a full-face mask fit better. Another reason is that the …show more content…
Alcohol intake, late night eating, exercising late before bed and inconsistent bedtime routine, and basic poor sleep hygiene.
3. One diagnostic modality that has developed (improved) over the last five years is the home sleep testing (HST) devices. The other modality pertains to treatment, the CPAP device. Due to advance of technology, the device can be controlled from a remote area, such as the DME company or a sleep center.
The HST has improved over the years. Many facilities and physicians are using different companies that mail the HST devices out to their patients. The patients basically hook themselves up to the device and mail it back into the company once the study is complete. Regularly, sleep centers (including my sleep center) have their patients come into the lab, demonstrate how to hook the device up and give instructions on returning the device. This method is more cost-effective for the patient and it can also free the sleep center up for more complicated patients, with co-morbidities. The one thing that needs to be further improved is the ability to record EEG, EOG and muscle tone, so clinicians and technologists can better determine when the patient is asleep while scoring the data, once it is brought back into the lab. There is still a vital need for the technologist to view the data and make sure the readings are not false. Personally, it is time consuming going …show more content…
Similar to the era when full-face masks were discovered. Since the combination therapy works so well, why not create a combination mask/oral appliance interface. This could be a challenge, since everyone teeth are different. But I am sure with the help of DSM, ResMed, Fisher Paykel, and Respironics, we can invent the “combo mask”.
The sleep medicine field would sure benefit from both of the ideas by merging the wireless technology and the dental medicine worlds together with the sleep world. The big companies such as Apple, LG and many other companies have wireless watches to monitor sleep, heart rate, and calories, so why not introduce them to the sleep diagnostic and therapy world. The new device would definite make our patients more comfortable when having a sleep study performed in the lab or at home. It would be less encumbering when changing position and going to the restroom, during testing. In the area of treatment, the combination mask, (is what I would call it) could certainly bring the CPAP compliancy up to a greater degree. The biggest problem with CPAP is the intolerance of the pressure and the inability of keeping the mouth closed. I truly believe this is the answer to our problem of intolerance due to CPAP