Implementing Sleep, Airway and Myo to Re...

What do you actually do once you’ve screened a patient for airway or sleep-disordered breathing?

You suspect sleep apnea—but since we can’t diagnose it as dentists, how does that influence the care you provide?

What do you do with that information, and who should you be working with to help your patient?

And what if you want to implement airway into your practice—but you’re not in the right environment to do so?

In this episode, Dr. Aston Parmar joins Jaz to break down how to implement airway in everyday dentistry. Together, they explore what happens after screening, how it influences treatment planning, and how dentists can work with other professionals to deliver better care.

 Protrusive Dental Pearl

Use the Mallampati Score as a quick chairside airway screen: have the patient open wide and stick out their tongue. Grade 1 = low risk; higher grades indicate greater Sleep-Disordered Breathing risk. 

⚠️ In TMD patients, limited opening can give falsely high scores. 

✅ Always interpret alongside history and full exam.

Key Takeaways

• Airway management is often overlooked in dental education.
• Sleep testing can significantly improve patient outcomes.
• Dentists should focus on airway health to enhance sleep quality.
• Collaboration with orthodontists can benefit patient care.
• Myofunctional therapy is crucial for both children and adults.
• Early intervention before age six is vital for nasal breathing.
• Tongue function plays a significant role in dental health.
• Breathing patterns can affect orthodontic stability.
• The Malampati score is a key indicator of sleep disorder risk.
• Upper airway resistance syndrome can be difficult to diagnose.
• Collaboration with myofunctional therapists enhances patient outcomes.
• Understanding airway health is essential for total body health.
• Inspiring the next generation of dental professionals is important.

Highlights of this episode:

• 00:00 Teaser
• 00:51 Introduction
• 04:03 Protrusive Dental Pearl: Mallampati Score
• 05:37 Meet Dr. Aston Parmar
• 09:51 Journey into Dentistry
• 17:10 Implementing Training in Practice
• 22:41 First Exposure to Airway Concept
• 30:18 South Wales Dental Sleep Clinic Model
• 30:21 Midroll
• 33:42 South Wales Dental Sleep Clinic Model
• 41:17 Myofunctional Therapy Explained
• 48: 51 Orthodontic Stability and Neutral Zone
• 54:52 Quickfire Screening Red Flags
• 01:02:55 Sleep Apnea Basics
• 01:04:23  Upper Area Resistance Syndrome (UARS)
• 01:08:53 Outro

Want more? Check out Airway Dentistry with Jeff Rouse – PDP229

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💺 Hands-on workshop with a mobile dental chair
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This episode is eligible for 1 CE credit via the quiz on Protrusive Guidance. 

This episode meets GDC Outcome C

AGD Subject Code: 730 – Oral Medicine, Oral Diagnosis, Oral Pathology

Aim: To provide a practical, data-driven framework for identifying airway-related risks, understanding myofunctional therapy, and integrating sleep screening into routine dental assessment.

Dentists will be able to –

1. Recognize key airway and sleep-related risk factors during routine dental examinations.

2. Understand the role of myofunctional therapy in improving airway function and orthodontic stability.

3. Apply simple chairside screening methods to identify patients who may require further airway assessment.