I want to share my wonderful experience with the TAP oral appliance. First I'd like to thank the office of Dr. Nicole Chenet and her assistance for making me feel comfortable and welcomed. The extra energy they expend on me as a patient was apparent and appreciated. I have increased sleep deprivation for years: the interrupted nights, the exhausted feelings upon waking and lasting through the day. Falling asleep watching movies or in the car as a passenger was a regular occurrence. I also have a partial seizure disorder that is a contribution to this disorder. I became aware of the TAP Oral Appliance and Dr. Nicole Chenet from the school nurse at my school that i work at.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea with a sleep study 3 years ago. I was fitted with a bulky and uncomfortable mask and a CPAP machine at that time. one week later I put the machine in my closet. Last year I had the TAP appliance made and fitted. The positive results were immediate. The next morning after a night with the appliance in place, I felt like a different person. It was the first time in years I had a full night's sleep. My seizure disorder has been better and was reduced down on my medication. My sleep disruptions were down to almost zero and my quality of life100% improved. I have more energy, think clearer, and generally a happier person. I recommend this path of treatment for anyone that snores or suffers from sleep apnea as a possible solution to their problem. I highly recommend scheduling a sleep study as soon as possible.

Thank you,

J.O.

Looking back now I realize that I must have been suffering from sleep related problems for about the past 10 years. Most nights I would suddenly awake with an elevated heart rate somewhere between 3 and 4:30. I would then have difficulty falling back asleep until my system calmed down. Then when it came time to wake up for work or whatever, I didn't feel at all rested. I often would be drowsy during the day.

My physician thought my sleep interruptions could be anxiety related. It didn't occur to me or anyone else that I might be suffering from Sleep Apnea because I didn't fit what the typical profile. I am a thinly built person of average weight and in mostly excellent health. After doing some research and speaking with my Physician and then Dr. Chenet, I elected to undergo an overnight sleep study to try to determine if I had a sleep disorder.

The study showed that my blood oxygen levels would dip during the night which then caused my heart to work harder to compensate for this and this in turn cause me to suddenly wake with the elevated heart rate. Dr. Chenet then arranged for me to have a follow up consultation with a Sleep Apnea specialist. It was pointed out that I have a short chin and a narrow neck and these factors can cause a slight obstruction to occur in breathing, especially when sleeping. This was probably leading to my system not getting the amount of oxygen it needed. They and Dr. Chenet felt that I would be a good candidate for an oral appliance to wear during the night which would reposition my lower jaw thus reducing the obstruction to my airway.

I've been wearing the appliance for a little over 2 months and I'm happy to say that I am now sleeping like a baby. My wife can attest to how quietly I am sleeping as there is no snoring or the other sounds of sleep disruption. As a consequence she is also getting more sleep. I feel well rested in the mornings and feel so much better knowing what the problem was and taking the steps to correct it. If you are having sleep issues I highly recommend that you work with Dr Chenet and the sleep clinic to determine what

the problem may be and to take the steps needed to resolve it.

Thank you,

Dennis P.