Due to patient and disease variability, no single best treatment has been identified for OSA. Hypoglossal nerve stimulation was approved in 2014 and works via direct, unilateral neurostimulation of the hypoglossal nerve in synchrony with respiration to stiffen and protrude the tongue. The so-called STAR clinical trials funded by Inspire Medical Systems reported few serious side effects but 21% of patients reported tongue soreness, including abrasion on the ventral side.Dr. Sims Tompkins is breaking new ground in dental sleep medicine by working closely with a team of Inspire surgeons and sleep doctors to increase efficacy and reduce side effects of HGS with oral appliances. In this episode of Open AirWaves, Dr. Tompkins discusses his case series report, which will be useful to all dentists motivated to work collaboratively with medical partners to improve patient outcomes.
At the conclusion of this podcast episode, attendees will be able to:
Dr. Sims Tompkins received his dental degree at the Medical University of South Carolina. He continued his education at Temple University in Philadelphia where he earned his certificate in Orthodontics as well as a MS and MSD degree.Dr. Tompkins is a Diplomate of both the American Board of Orthodontists and the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine. He has been involved with dental sleep medicine since 1991 and now treats about a hundred patients a year with oral appliances for their obstructive sleep apnea.As early as 2011, Dr. Tompkins was involved in some early trials for hypoglossal nerve stimulation, or HNS, when he was asked to provide Essix style retainers to protect teeth from tongue movements on patients undergoing the procedure. More recently, Dr. Tompkins has been working with local sleep doctors to improve efficacy and reduce side effects of their HNS patients.
Tanya DeSanto, DDS is a graduate from Northwestern University Dental School. She has been practicing dentistry in Springfield, IL for 30 years and dental sleep medicine for the last several years. Dr. DeSanto is a Diplomate of the ABDSM and member of the AADSM, AASM, and SRS. She has lectured at the AADSM Annual Meeting and co-chaired the AADSM Breaking Down Barriers for a Successful Practice Course. She is an adjunct faculty member at the SIU School of Medicine where she enjoys teaching medical residents the importance of dental sleep medicine. She currently serves as chair of the AADSM Education Committee.
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