Glidewell announced that its signature mandibular advancement device (MAD), the Silent Nite Sleep Appliance, is now eligible for Medicare reimbursement under code E0486. This new benefit makes treatment more accessible to patients who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), characterized by repeated obstruction of the upper airway.
In the U.S., more than 60 million people are enrolled in Medicare,1 and many Medicare recipients may suffer from OSA. Research suggests that more than half (56%) of people aged 65 or older have a high risk of OSA.2 This condition is associated with wide-ranging adverse effects, including cardiovascular disease, cognitive dysfunction, depression, metabolic syndrome, motor vehicle accidents and diminished quality of life.3
Introduced in 1996, the Silent Nite Sleep Appliance treats snoring and OSA by gently shifting the lower jaw forward in a therapeutic position during sleep, which activates the airway muscles and ligaments to prevent the airway from collapsing. The appliance is flexible, thin and designed to be comfortable for all-night wear.
“We’re thrilled that the Silent Nite Sleep Appliance is now available to treat Medicare-enrolled patients diagnosed with OSA,” said Glidewell Founder and President Jim Glidewell, CDT. “It’s a tribute to our world-class R&D and preventive care teams, who continue to steadily advance the dental sleep medicine landscape. We’re committed to making oral appliance therapy more practical for clinicians — so they can improve the lives of their patients.”
Clinicians in this space desire appliances that are effective, affordable and PDAC-approved. The Silent Nite appliance encompasses 27 years of clinical success, and it’s Glidewell’s most affordable sleep appliance.
Key features of the Silent Nite MAD:
- PDAC (Pricing, Data Analysis and Coding) contractor-verified for Medicare reimbursement: Code E0486
- Fast turnaround time of only three days in the lab
- Backed by a three-year warranty
- Low cost increases access to care
- Each case includes extra connectors, in various sizes, and an AM Aligner to aid patients in exercising and realigning the jaw after nighttime mandibular advancement
This is the second PDAC-approved option in the Silent Nite portfolio. In 2022, the Silent Nite with Glidewell Hinge was introduced as part of Glidewell’s family of sleep solutions. The company currently offers accredited continuing education courses to help dentists successfully integrate dental sleep medicine into their practice.
To learn more about the Silent Nite appliance or to receive information about the Glidewell Clinical Twinpak, which provides significant savings on a duplicate MAD to ensure uninterrupted treatment, call 800-407-3326 or visit glidewell.com/silent-nite.
REFERENCES
1. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [Internet]. Baltimore (MD): U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CMS releases latest enrollment figures for Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP); 2021 Dec 21 [cited 2023 Jul 20]. Available from: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/news-alert/cms-releases-latest-enrollment-figures-medicare-medicaid-and-childrens-health-insurance-program-chip.
2. Institute for Healthcare Policy & Innovation, University of Michigan [Internet]. Ann Arbor (MI): Regents of the University of Michigan. OSA in older adults: often present, seldom investigated; 2018 May 10 [cited 2023 Jul 20]. Available from: https://ihpi.umich.edu/news/osa-older-adults-often-present-seldom-investigated.
3. Braley TJ, Dunietz GL, Chervin RD, Lisabeth LD, Skolarus LE, Burke JF. Recognition and diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea in older Americans. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2018 Jul;66(7):1296-1302.
