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Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Assessment, Analysis, and Associated Dental Management Guidelines

OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA FACTS

The patient with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) experiences repetitive episodes of upper airway obstruction associated with a reduction in blood oxygen saturation and arousal from sleep. Apnea may occur hundreds of times nightly—one to two times per minute, especially in patients with severe OSA—and it is often accompanied by wide swings in heart rate and a precipitous decrease in oxygen saturation. The cardinal symptoms of sleep apnea include the “three S’s”: snoring, sleepiness, and a significant other’s reports of sleep apnea. Additionally, morning headaches, excessive daytime sleepiness, and mood swings occur. OSA is mo/>