An article in Sleep and Health Journal recommends that oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea treatment be done by dentists with expertise in treating TM Joint disorders. The article
"TREATMENT OF SLEEP APNEA WITH ORAL APPLIANCES SHOULD BE DONE BY DENTISTS TRAINED IN TREATING TMJ DISORDERS" can be found at
http://www.sleepandhealth.com/
The Sleep journal article recommends that dentists treating Sleep apnea be
"Qualified practitioners are those who are board-certified as
Diplomates of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine
or others who have undertaken comprehensive training in sleep
medicine and/or sleep-related breathing disorders with an empha-
sis on the scientific literature and the use of an appropriate pro-
tocol for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Treatment provided
by individuals who have little or no training and education in this
unique multi-disciplinary area should be discouraged."
They also recommended that dentists treating sleep disordered breathing have expertise in treating TMJ disorders which is considering that the NHLBI (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
Chicago Dentist Dr Ira L Shapira is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and a Diplomate of the Academy of Pain Management. He founded www.ihatecpap.com to help patients find qualified sleep apnea dentists. He also treats sleep apnea in offices in Gurnee, Skokie, Schaumburg, Vernon Hills, Bannockburn and Chicago at Chicagoland Dental Sleep Medicine (http://www.chicagoland.ihatecpap.com/
"It is vital that dentists treating sleep apnea understand the full range of sleep and TMJ issues" who supports the parameters of care issued in the February 2006 Journal Sleep.
