Ambulatory Testing for Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea for the Dentist

Portable monitoring can be used in the patient's home (a home sleep test) to assess a patient for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). There are several devices available, which typically monitor only respiratory events. The devices are classified by the number of channels monitored. Portable monitors cannot be readily used to exclude OSA, being less sensitive than attended polysomnography, which monitors sleep and respiratory events, and only high-probability patients should be studied. Once diagnosed, treatment options, including positive airway pressure (PAP) which is usually first-line therapy, an oral appliance (OA), and upper airway surgery, should be chosen based on current recommendations of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. When an OA is used, a follow-up sleep study is recommended by AASM guidelines, which may be an attended polysomnogram or a home sleep test.