Howard G. Hindin, DDS
Co-Chairman
AAPMD
Practioners: Look Beyond The Aesthetic!
A new paradigm has arrived in dentistry and other healthcare modalities – it will soon no longer be acceptable for the standard of care to ignore the airway of the patient.
Current research clearly affirms the connection between airway issues and major health problems, performance, learning and quality of life. In addition, airway / sleep / breathing problems during the night also manifest during the day.
The AAPMD, a leader in airway health awareness and education, believes it is time that all practitioners screen for the presence of airway problems and develop the skills to co-diagnose, co-treat and collaborate with other disciplines. Treatment can no longer proceed without an airway evaluation.
Doctor, “What have you done to my airway?
A recently published article in a respected journal proudly presents the case of a mandibular setback procedure to eliminate an unappealing, protruding jaw appearance.
Is it just me, or is anyone else noticing the change in airway size with this “successful” result? Who should be responsible to preserve, protect and restore the airway? Better yet – who should not?