Obstructive sleep apnea is a common disorder where people have episodes where they stop breathing during the night. This is the most severe form of snoring. It is caused when the airway in the throat collapses and air can not pass into the lungs. Long term damage can occur leading to hypertension, heart diseaese, stroke, and the like. Apnea sufferers often feel groggy all day even when they get a solid nights sleep. A common treatment is the CPAP machine which is a mask worn by the patient to basically pump air past the obstruction during the night. CPAP is quite effective but many people have trouble tolerating the device.
There is an effective alternative to the CPAP. Dental devices have been proven to be a comfortable alternative to CPAP machines for the treatment of sleep apnea. Current recommendations by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine are that oral appliances are indicated for treatment of .....
 | Mild to moderate sleep apnea |
| Severe sleep apnea where CPAP has been tried and failed |
| Primary snoring without sleep apnea |
We provide the TAP 3 (Thornton Adjustable Appliance) in our office. It represents the latest in design, comfort, and effectiveness for the treatment of snoring and sleep apnea.
