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Dr. Dave Singh will present “Non-surgical Upper Airway Remodeling for OSA” at this year’s multi-disciplinary annual Sleep and Wellness Conference, April 21-22 in Phoenix, AZ, hosted by the American Sleep and Breathing Academy [ASBA]
This past weekend I had the opportunity of addressing the North American Dental Sleep Medicine Symposium in Clearwater, FL. I confirmed that it is now known that Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder, which is characterized by repetitive collapse of the upper airway during sleep. In addition, upper airway narrowing and sleep-induced loss of muscle tone are important factors in the development of OSA. However, there is a growing recognition that craniofacial abnormalities also commonly occur in patients with OSA. In fact, clinical and epidemiological studies show that OSA is a multifactorial and complex disease with a strong genetic basis. It has been estimated that approximately 40% of the variance in the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) may be explained by familial factors. It is also likely that genetic factors associated with craniofacial structure, body fat distribution and neural control of the upper airway muscles interact to produce the OSA phenotype. Indeed, it is now thought that there is a continuous interaction between genetic and epigenetic factors in the structural development of the upper airway.
In April, I will be presenting at the Sleep and Wellness conference in Phoenix, AZ. In that presentation, I will be covering the concept that while continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and surgical, bimaxillary advancement procedures are thought to represent curative options for OSA, mandibular advancement devices (MADs) are favored by dental professionals for the management of OSA, in conjunction with their medical sleep specialist colleagues. But, the approach currently taken by most MADs is generally geared towards symptomatic relief with little attention being paid to the underlying etiology of the condition. While MADs are undoubtedly successful in the short- to mid-term in the clinical management of OSA, unwanted long-term side effects of MADs, such as disruption of the occlusion and temporo-mandibular joint pain, have been reported. In contrast, I will present my studies showing that biomimetic oral appliance therapy can reduce the AHI to <5 in some adults diagnosed with mild to moderate OSA (AHI < 29), and sometimes virtually eliminate it completely. In addition to exploring the efficacy of this exciting, new approach, I intend to conclude my presentation at the ASBA’s Sleep and Wellness conference in Phoenix, AZ with the notion that pediatric epigenetics embraces a firm promise in the prevention of sleep disordered breathing in young children.
Dr. G. Dave Singh DDSc PhD DMD is a US citizen who was born, educated and trained in England, UK. He holds three doctorates, including a Degree in Dental Surgery; a Ph.D. in Craniofacial Development, and a D.D.S. in Orthodontics. He was invited to relocate to the Center for Craniofacial Disorders, USA on the basis of being an “outstanding professor”, where he led a NIH-funded program of craniofacial research. Currently, he is a member of: the American Sleep and Breathing Association; the World Sleep Federation; an Academic Fellow of the World Federation of Orthodontists, and Fellow of the International Association for Orthodontics, where he was awarded prizes in 2005, 2013 and 2014. Dr Singh holds several patents in the USA, Canada and Europe as well as international patents. He has published numerous articles and books in the peer-reviewed medical, dental and orthodontic literature, and has lectured in Australia, Asia, Europe, Africa and North America.