If you’ve been following the news lately, you’ve probably heard a lot about AI, or artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence works much like the human brain, using algorithms to generate information based on specific criteria fed to the artificially intelligent product. Artificial intelligence is being used across multiple industries to do everything from writing stories to predicting the weather and even doing market research to help guide business growth.
But now, a new technology from Georgia Tech and Emory University has emerged that uses AI to help in sleep apnea diagnosis.
The technology uses a silicone patch or mask that adheres to the face and includes sensors that monitor the wearer’s facial movements as they sleep. The patch is painless and was designed to replace the many sensors used in clinical testing. In fact, the mask is designed to be used outside of the sleep clinic, so that the wearer can test for sleep apnea from the comfort of their own home.
In some cases, it is difficult to diagnose sleep apnea in a clinical setting because the patient is nervous about being tested and is unable to sleep uninterrupted or the same way they might sleep at home in their own bed.
Furthermore, this technology would cut back on the long wait times associated with sleep apnea diagnosis and other sleep studies, as many clinics are booked out weeks to months in advance, delaying care for this dangerous condition.
Users of the mask would be monitored via an app that is downloaded to the user’s smartphone, and the data collected would be transmitted via the app to the sleep clinic or doctor’s office, where it would then be analyzed by sleep professionals. The app could be used to not just monitor the severity of the user’s sleep apnea, but also to diagnose whether the user even has sleep apnea in the first place.
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that occurs when the airway becomes obstructed during sleep. This causes the patient to snore, gasp for air or choke as they sleep. This struggle for air doesn’t just affect the patient’s breathing – it can also reduce the levels of oxygen in their blood, worsening other comorbid medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s disease.
Causes of sleep apnea can include everything from obesity to genetics.
The good news about sleep apnea is that it can be treated. While many patients are initially prescribed CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) therapy, many do not like its uncomfortable mask and complicated machinery, and as a result, do not follow through with treatment. This, of course, renders it useless, and the patient doesn’t get the benefits they need from treatment.
Thankfully, there are options available for those who do not like their CPAP mask but still require treatment for sleep apnea. Dr. Jordon Smith of Breathe Modern Dentistry has a solution that you may not have considered: a sleep orthotic that fits you perfectly because it’s custom molded to your individual mouth. This sleep orthotic works by positioning the jaw naturally so that the airway is unobstructed while the patient is lying down.
A sleep orthotic from Dr. Smith is more comfortable than the forced air of CPAP, easier to operate (it literally just fits comfortably into your mouth), easier to clean, and does not require electricity to operate like CPAP does.
While the mask is not yet available for consumer use (it is still undergoing clinical trials), it is an exciting development in the field of sleep research and could one day be an excellent solution to sleep testing. While more studies must be done on the mask, it is a promising technology that you should definitely stay tuned to learn more about in the future.
Today, if you believe you or someone you love could be suffering from sleep apnea, reach out to Dr. Smith or Dr. Juricek who can help you get the sleep apnea diagnosis you need. The sooner you take control of your health and the dangerous effects of sleep apnea, the better.
In the meantime, if you already use CPAP or have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and are interested in learning more about sleep orthotics, please contact Breathe Modern Dentistry today.