New to this forum -- simple question

dsiknarf · Joined: 21 Aug 2009 Posts: 1 Location: Sacramento, CA

I'm new to this. Didn't even know there was a place to talk to others about sleep apnea. I've used a CPAP for over twenty years. I hate it, but I like breathing. I'm interested in alternatives. Once on a camping trip my machine wouldn't run on battery power and I stuck a bottle cam between my teeth and slept a little. That's the first time I realized that holding the jaw somewhat open relieves the blockage. Now I always carry with me a cut-off snorkel mouthpiece. It works fine, but of course one ends up with unpleasant dry mouth, not to mention sleep drooling, and the discomfort is such that I can't go to sleep with this method without being really, really exhausted. I want to look into dental devices. I have caps on almost all teeth, and they are about a grand apiece to replace, so I certainly don't want to screw those up. Also, I am afraid of a device that will block air intake for the mouth. That's what saves me if the machine fails. I fear I might simply not be able to come out of a deep sleep if something happened in the night while wearing a dental device would make mouth breathing impossible. Do those devices usually have holes for air just in case? Are they safe? Anyone use them now and have comments about teeth with caps?

I had a grove lasered out in the back of my tongue, and that helps some. CPAP works fine now on 8. Used to be 12. Sometimes I can nap briefly on my side without the machine. So I'm thinking there must be a way to get rid of the thing. DALE

Limeygurl · Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Posts: 17

ishapira · Joined: 31 Mar 2005 Posts: 141 Location: Gurnee, Illinois

Tap 1 is still the most effective and versatile appliance especially with thermoplastic lining that allows adj with hot water. To see other available appliances check out
http://www.ihatecpap.com/oral_appliance.html

There are many appliances that can help with your problem.

Ira

snork1 · Joined: 16 Dec 2003 Posts: 1413 Location: Kirkland, WA

I haven't dropped into the dental device forum in ages and I notice most of these posts are WAY out of date, but I figure I might as well toss my experience into answering some of these questions, which might be useful to lurkers, if not the orginal posters anymore.

I am on my second TAP appliance, over a bunch of years.(Started with a TAP Titanium)
NO problem with crowns etc, although you might have to get your device "hogged out" a bit to clear some changes in your dental work. Right now I am using a new tight TAP III on a temporary crown and it hasn't even popped that loose.

Breathing through a TAP is definitely NOT a problem. In fact NOT breathing through it is the challenge. I just forced a redo of my latest TAP III for a couple of issues, one was that it had my teeth so far separated that I couldn't physically keep my lips together, which resulting in heavy mouth breathing and a weird "lip flapping" snore effect.

I was on CPAP for 3 years before going dental. My only fear is having to go back to CPAP. THAT was a nightmare and didn't work well for me.

ishapira · Joined: 31 Mar 2005 Posts: 141 Location: Gurnee, Illinois

I agree that once you have gone TAP it is hard to go back. I have treated over 2500 patients and only a handful ever decided they prefer CPAP.

Ther are a lot of new developments in oral appliances including:

The new TAP 3 has an extended range and the TAP-PAP combo is ideal for severe apnea athat needs combo treatment. custom CPAP masks improve comfort.

Ira L Shapira D,ABDSM, DDS