Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Using Oral Appliances in Saudi Arabia: Are We Following the Guidelines?

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to assess sleep medicine physicians’ knowledge and attitudes toward the role of oral appliances (OAs) in managing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in Saudi Arabia. Methods: An online questionnaire was administered to the registered physicians practicing sleep medicine (otolaryngology, internal medicine, pulmonology, and family medicine) in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire included 26 questions under five domains. All the collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests. Results: One hundred sleep physicians (43% Saudi, 75% male) from Saudi Arabia participated in this study. Almost 43% of participants reported inadequate knowledge of the treatment of OSA patients using OAs. Half of the participants were unaware of how OAs work in managing OSA. Most physicians (62%) never referred the patient for treatment of OSA using OAs, whereas 4% referred at least one patient every month. The majority (60%) believed that there are barriers to referring a case for OA treatment, mainly the lack of knowledge of the suitable cases (60%) and the lack of qualified dentists in this area (43%). Conclusion: Most sleep physicians reported poor knowledge of OA indications and mechanism of use, with most never referring a case for OA therapy.