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What's the difference between snoring and Sleep Apnea?

While snoring can be disruptive to your spouse or family, who needs to sleep near you, sleep apnea is a serious, potentially life threatening sleep disorder that affects approximately 18 million Americans.  The person with sleep apnea typically stops breathing for 10 seconds or longer during their sleep, then briefly wakes up in order to resume breathing.  The result is extremely fragmented, poor quality sleep.

Symptoms:

• Morning Headaches
• Excessive daytime sleepiness  
• Irritability and impaired mental or emotional functioning
• Excessive Snoring, choking, or gasping during sleep
• Insomnia
• Awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat

What are the treatment options?

CPAP-Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Mask that you sleep with nightly.  CPAP masks are now made with humidifiers to reduce sore throats.  There are differently shaped masks to accommodate various sized facial structures.

TAP 3 Dental Orthotic

The Tap 3 Oral device is made from impressions of your mouth and connect the upper and lower jaws. There is a connector that keeps the lower jaw in a forward position, thus preventing the airway from becoming occluded with your tongue.



Silent Nite (snoring treatment) Dental Orthotic

The silent nite anti-snoring device is a weaker version of the Tap 3 for snorers.  It is much more comfortable than the Tap 3 because you can move your lower jaw more freely, but isn't made for people who have been diagnosed with sleep apnea.  The white connectors can be exchanged to shorter or longer lengths, depending on the requirements your lower jaw needs to remain in a forward position.  The silent nite is approximately 1/3  the cost of the Tap 3.

Your physician and/or sleep specialist needs to determine if you are a candidate for either an oral orthotic treatment or CPAP.   The process requires an impression of both your upper and lower arches, along with a registration of your bite in a forward position.  The models are sent to a laboratory and then the appliance is fabricated.  Once made, the patient returns to the dental office for proper fitting and adjustments.  During that visit, the patient is coached in how the TAP3 or Silent Nite works, as well as how to properly care for the appliance.

Over 50,000 dentists prescribe the TAP 3 and Silent Nite oral orthotics.  Feel free to call our office with any questions you may encounter at 813-891-1212.  We'd be happy to answer your questions.