Help and questions with tap3 tl device

I’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea in 2012 mild to moderate range. Tried cpap and I couldn’t do it, went towards the oral device approach and been using a tap 3 since 2013. I’m currently on my second tap 3 device since 2016 when the first one was cracked and I got a new one. The unfortunate thing about all this is I never followed up with a sleep study a yr later as I was supposed due to circumstances that prevented me from going into a sleep lab back then. I’ve been using the mouthpiece basically for 6 years only going by what I felt like. I setup the new home sleep study for 3 nights and failed it for the most part. What I ended up finding out video taping myself was that the top piece was popping out when my mouth opened at various times during the sleep study’s essentially not working. I was subconsciously moving my jaw back and forth all night putting it back in and not really knowing what’s been going on. The only thing I know is that I blew my test. Since then I went back to my sleep dentist doctor, got the unit relined for 125 dollars, had the marker moved out further so I have more play with it and it’s staying in great. For what it’s worth I’ve been recording myself with SnoreLab app on my iPhone and trying to get a gauge of where I’m at Atleast with the snoring and how I feel. I know the only real way to know is another test, but I have some other questions before I drop the money down on this again. How much could be too much turned out with the mouthpiece where it starts having the opposite effect? I’m at like 15-17 turns and I can actually handle it fine. Sure it’s not the greatest feeling when sleeping but I can do it. Is more always better? I was told by my sleep dentist is next time I get the study done make every night different like for example 15, 16, 17 etc. I’m under the impression that pretty much all you can do with the mouthpiece if it’s not working for treating osa properly is just keep extending further and further it can. Does this sound right? Or can going too far actually gave the reverse effect? I also noticed over the years that I was never this far out but I’m so used to the device and I really don’t have any problems going out further. But my wife is noticing snoring still and my iPhone audio captures in snorelab prove there’s still some issues going on some of the times.

Do the dental devices only treat osa to a certain extent. What ahi number would I be looking to achieve with it to be consider treated properly under 5? Also is have desaturations in a sleep study with the mouthpiece still prove further it’s not working? In other words and I fighting two separate things ahi from apneas/hypopneas and also desaturations falling levels? And if so when does the sp02 levels become bad enough to where it’s an issue so much?

I hope someone who has knowledge in dental devices can help me out a bit before I have another 3 day home sleep study done. I just want to make sure I’m at a good range of the unit and doing the right things before in go down the path of a test again. What’s consider a fail on a sleep apnea test with the dental device ahi wise and desaturations wise? My original ahi back in 2012 was 16.3 The ahi was 6.9 events per hr laying on my side and 26.1 events per hr laying on my back. The oxygen dropped to dropped to 86 percent during rem sleep. Moderate to severe snoring was noted.

My second study’s just done last month in December 2018 although it was bad because of the mouthpiece falling out had one night of 6.6 ahi, the next at 7.9 and the last night was very bad at 18.6. I know it’s improved with the mouthpiece if it would just stay in place but what am I aiming for. That and desaturations?

There are a couple of sleep dentists that check in here, and they may be able to address your concerns. About all I can says is that the general objective in apnea treatment is to get AHI under 5 and ideally lower is better if can be done with comfort.

You might be interested in a new technology that allows for a titration test of a MAD by using a motorized test which adjusts the device while you are sleeping to determine the optimum setup. Here is news article about it.

CTV News Article

It has been developed by this company:

Zephyr Sleep Technologies

Wow, that’s exactly what I thinks need done to verify if this thing works or not vs only getting 3 tries from a home sleep study and hoping for the best with the results that come in 2 weeks later. Interesting invention and I personally think it should be mandatory for anyone considering a mouthpiece otherwise you could be just throwing away 2000 dollars on a tap 3 hoping it will work for you and it might not. There’s no trail in oral devices and once you get one you are stuck with it and the cost whether you like it or not. Unlike cpap you get to run a trail period of it. This is an amazing find. I’m gong to call this company today and find out the details. The biggest question is what’s the costs to take this test? I’m sure it’s not covered by insurance unfortunately