New way to TAP patients

CARROLTON, Texas - In no time at all, the TAP PAP, a CPAP mask that anchors to the upper teeth using a moldable mouthpiece, has become a best-selling product on cpap.com.

Airway Management launched the TAP PAP in March, and it has garnered 4.2 stars out of 5 based on 82 reviews, according to the site, which bills itself as “the Web's largest sleep apnea store.”

“A lot of people don't even know who Airway Management is, but we still became a top-seller and we're holding strong there,” said Steve Moore, vice president of sales and marketing.

Patients aren't familiar with Airway Management because, until now, it has been best known for its TAP oral appliance to treat sleep apnea, a less accessible treatment that's available mostly through dentists.

The Medicare-reimbursed TAP PAP is making inroads with patients because it does a good job minimizing leaks, providers say. The kicker: It doesn't require the sometimes-cumbersome headgear, they say.

“It comes packed with headgear, but it's not necessary,” said Leza Boone, a manager and respiratory therapist at Healthline, which has 14 locations in Texas. “The device has really helped to eliminate some of the issues we've had with people who have a hard time getting a good seal and those with phobias.”

Provider Ken Harding uses the TAP PAP himself, saying that it not only treats his sleep apnea but also prevents him from grinding his teeth.

“There's nothing out there that compares to it,” said Harding, CEO of Medigy in Fort Worth, Texas.

So far, Boone and Harding have outfitted dozens of patients with the TAP PAP.

“A patient who has used pillow products forever told me: 'I only have one complaint. I didn't want to get up the next morning. That's how well I slept,'” she said.