Take-Home Sleep Study

Our primary goal in prescribing take-home sleep study tests is to reach an accurate diagnosis. Clinical sleep studies performed in a sleep lab may have more instrumentation associated with them, but the environment in which the sleep study is done also matters. Take-home sleep studies can provide profound data because they take place in your environment, your bed, on your normal schedule. There is nothing special that you do to prepare for your NOX-T3 test other than apply the monitors as instructed. These monitors measure the following:

• Snoring
• Nasal pressure
• Pulse oximetry
• Abdominal and rib cage movement
• Body position
• Activity

This home sleep test usually requires just one night of wear. Sometimes, these tests are designed for two nights. Your dentist will discuss the details of your study with you in advance so you know what to expect and can receive answers to your questions ahead of time. You can have possession of the NOX-T3 equipment for three days. Once the test is complete, promptly place it in its prepaid shipping container and drop it in the mail. One of the benefits of this home sleep study is that it's devised to be convenient in every way without diminishing the accuracy of recordings.

Your home sleep study is designed to be worn the entire night. To properly interpret your test results, the lab needs at least four to six hours of recorded data, so do not remove any of the monitors before that amount of time.

The NOX-T3 sleep study equipment is designed for comfort and consistent wear throughout the night. It's not uncommon for people with sleep disorders to wake up to drink water or use the bathroom, sometimes multiple times a night. Should you wake up, simply leave the device on. Also, leave it turned on. If the device is powered off during the study, the results may become more difficult to interpret.

When using the Nox-T3® device for your take-home sleep study, you will want to be completely familiar with it to ensure you are using it properly. You may notice that the recorder has a microphone. When in use, it will record all sounds, including snoring, gasping, and stops in breathing. If approved by your dentist, you can deactivate the sound feature by unchecking "Snore Sound." Playback will not be available, even though the volume graph may show that there is sound recorded. Do not turn off the sound option unless your provider at Flatrock Family Dentistry has instructed you to do so.

You may need to reset the device between uses. You will need your computer and a USB cable in order to reset it. If you have a recording on the device, it will be deleted during the reset. Plug the device into the computer with the USB cable, and then press the right arrow button once until the reset command shows on the screen. Hold down the center button until the progress bar completes to complete the process. If you are having problems with configuring or using the device, do not hesitate to contact our team at Flatrock Family Dentistry for more assistance.

Your Nox-T3® device comes with a USB cable. This cable can be inserted into the device under the lid of the battery. Open the lid by pressing the lid key and sliding the battery lid downward. Then, connect the device to the computer using the USB cable provided. The device display will light up and display a message to show that the device has been successfully connected to the computer and the information is ready to download.

The Nox-T3® sleep study record comes with reusable soft pulse oximeter sensors. You will need to select the proper size to ensure that the recordings are accurate. The sensor chosen will depend on the thickness of the finger. If the height of the finger is between .3" and .5", use the small size. Finger height from .5" to 1" should be best with the large size. If the sensor is loose or still does not fit correctly, consider switching to the medium one to achieve better fit and function.

The Nox-T3® device can be used multiple times, so it is important to keep it clean between uses. Use a soft, dampened cloth with a hospital-grade cleaner to wipe down the unit and any accessories that come with it, including the cables and oximeter sensors.

We encourage you to store the Nox-T3® device between uses in a clean, dry area after cleaning as instructed above. The device is not waterproof and should be kept in storage according to the instructions provided by your team at Flatrock Family Dentistry.

If the primary purpose of a sleep study is to determine if you have sleep-disordered breathing like sleep apnea, then a home study may be appropriate for you. This modality is more convenient and comfortable for most people, and it can measure significant factors that help diagnose the underlying cause of chronic snoring and other symptoms. That said, home sleep studies are limited. Only in-lab sleep studies can diagnose conditions like narcolepsy. Only in-lab studies can monitor brain activity. Only in-lab sleep studies can pick up the more subtle indications of sleep-disordered breathing. The home study is popular due to its convenience, comfort, and lower cost. This type of study, however, is more suitable for straightforward cases of more pronounced sleep apnea symptoms.