A recent case report demonstrates significant improvements in treatment-resistant obstructive sleep apnea using a chairside titratable oral appliance combined with a mouth shield.
Key takeaways:
- A published case report details a 45-year-old patient with moderate-to-severe OSA who achieved an 86% reduction in AHI over two nights.
- The treatment combined the myTAP chairside titratable oral appliance with a mouth shield to enforce nasal breathing.
TAP Sleep Care recently highlighted the publication of a case report demonstrating the rapid effectiveness of its myTAP chairside titratable oral appliance when combined with a mouth shield for nasal breathing.
The case report, unveiled at the 2026 American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine Annual Meeting (#013) and authored by Jason Hui, DDS, MAGD, ABDSM, adjunct professor at Texas A&M College of Dentistry, and Alan G. McDavid, DDS, MAGD, ABDSM, of Texas Sleep and TMJ Solutions, showcases results in a 45-year-old female respiratory therapist. She had moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Key outcomes from the two-night polysomnography study include:
- Baseline: AHI 25.4 events/hour; significant oxygen desaturations and sympathetic nervous system dominance.
- Night 1 (myTAP alone, ~3mm advancement): AHI reduced to 13.8 (46% improvement).
- Night 2 (myTAP + mouth shield, no further advancement): AHI dropped to 3.6 (86% overall reduction); 4% ODI improved 77%; T90 (time below 90% SpO2) reduced 92%; hypoxic burden substantially lowered; normalized autonomic nervous system balance; snoring eliminated.
Despite denying symptoms before therapy, the patient reported immediate benefits after, including resumed bed-sharing with her partner and improved daytime alertness. According to the report, the study underscores the synergistic effect of minimal mandibular advancement via myTAP with enforced nasal breathing.
“This case illustrates myTAP’s unique ability to deliver same-day therapy and achieve clinically meaningful results quickly, even at conservative advancement levels,” says McDavid, in a release. “Combining it with simple nasal patency support amplified outcomes dramatically, offering a practical, patient-friendly approach for dental sleep medicine practices.”
The myTAP device is an FDA-cleared, precision-fit, non-custom oral appliance designed for snoring and mild-to-moderate OSA. It can be fitted chairside in approximately 15 minutes, allowing patients to make precise adjustments in quarter-millimeter increments for optimal comfort and efficacy.
According to the investigators, the case findings also challenge assumptions about airflow equivalence in other therapies, such as full-face CPAP. They note that nasal breathing boosts nitric oxide, reduces resistance, and balances autonomic nervous system and vagal tone.
“By pairing minimal mandibular advancement with enforced nasal breathing, we achieved an 86% reduction in AHI (from 25.4 to 3.6 events per hour) in just one additional night, along with major gains in oxygenation, hypoxic burden, autonomic balance, and snoring elimination,” says Charles Collins, CEO of TAP Sleep Care, in a release.
Future trials, the authors say, should address long-term efficacy and overjet.
