Sleep Apnea Treatments in San Rafael
Explore your options for treating sleep apnea in San Rafael, CA.
Sleep Apnea Treatments
At Jennifer Buchanan, DDS, we are delighted to share the innovative sleep apnea treatments we use to give patients the sleep they deserve. There are many factors that contribute to sleep apnea and it’s our mission to find the solution that is both comfortable and effective for you.
Finding your ideal solution is a collaborative effort between Dr. Buchanan, your physician, and local sleep medicine specialists. Together, we create lasting solutions for our patients that maintain and improve their overall wellbeing.
CPAP Alternatives
Our goal is to help make sure you can sleep comfortably without interruption and that your quality of life improves. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices are often the first treatment solutions recommended to patients. With CPAP therapy, patients wear a mask that delivers a constant flow of air throughout the night to help them breathe better. Many patients have a difficult time with CPAP and prefer other treatment options.
We provide a number of new and diverse sleep apnea solutions for our patients. In addition to physical therapy and non-surgical treatments like CPAP devices, oral appliances remain one of the most popular solutions for patients. Dr. Buchanan maintains that CPAP therapy is the gold standard for treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea, but for those who want an alternative and/or cannot tolerate using a CPAP, she will help find the next best solution.
Mandibular Advancement Devices
A mandibular advancement device (MADs) can help treat your sleep apnea by moving the lower jaw forward and opening the airway space behind the tongue. This retainer-like appliance helps diminish or eliminate snoring, and can facilitate nighttime breathing without needing a mask or machine.
Dr. Buchanan understands that each patient has unique needs, and offers a number of different models to address these needs.
Somnomed Appliances
We can use oral appliances from Somnomed to give our patients the rest that they deserve. Available in several different designs, these oral appliances are metal-reinforced, making them incredibly stable and long-lasting. They are also incredibly comfortable with a patient compliance rate of 88 percent.
Somnomed oral appliances are also a great option for patients that suffer from teeth grinding, also known as bruxism. Protecting the health of your teeth while treating sleep apnea has never been easier.
ResMed Narval
We also provide Narval oral appliances by Resmed. They are one of the most comfortable options we offer. This oral appliance is unique in that it relieves stress on the temporomandibular joint by using connecting rods rather than metal without touching the gums.
This mandibular repositioning device was the first CAD/CAM custom-made model available for patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea. This allows for much of the of the process to be done digitally, in many cases eliminating the need for physical molds.
TAP III (Thornton Adjustable Positioner)
Unlike other sleep apnea oral appliances, TAP III is a two-piece system that snaps onto each arch. To push the mandible forward, this system uses a hook mechanism, keeping soft tissue from collapsing back into the airway. The TAP III is designed to allow patients to adjust the degree to which the lower jaw is held forward.
Like other oral appliance options, TAP III has a high rate of compliance and is customized to each individual’s smile. The TAP III allows for more room for the tongue during sleep and allows lips to close while wearing the oral appliance.