Dentist Brain Candy

Maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) surgery is highly effective in curing moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). But how does that surgery impact a patient’s facial profile? Are we inadvertently beating people with an ugly stick in the name of better breathing? On this episode of Dentist Brain Candy, I cover two thought-provoking articles from recent editions of the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, sharing the findings from a study on the impact of MMA surgery for OSA on facial profile esthetics. I also discuss a paper identifying the trends in work relative value units (or RVUs) among oral and maxillofacial surgeons participating in Medicare from 2013 to 2017. Listen in to understand why I find the RVU system so frustrating and learn why the free market is a far better way of determining reimbursement rates for a given dental procedure. Key Takeaways How the physician fee schedule based on relative value units or RVUs came to be Why I find the RVU system incredibly frustrating and offens