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SLEEP APNEA CAN AFFECT ANYONE AT ANY AGE, EVEN INFANTS
OVER 22 MILLION US ADULTS HAVE UNDIAGNOSED SLEEP APNEA.
Too many people fail to recognize the early warning signs that snoring provides.
TIRED OF YOUR CPAP?
-Sick of waking up with dry mouth, throat and nose?
-Are you struggling to find a mask that fits?
-Are you on a wait list due to the hazards and recalls?
ABOUT SLEEP ENVY
Sleep Envy’s goal is to provide customized sleep apnea and snoring solutions for southern Nevada. Seeking treatment is the first step towards a restful night sleep for you as well as your bed partner. Untreated sleep apnea has been proven to take 7 years off your life. Call for a consultation, and regain lost time.
OUR SERVICES
Prior to treatment, it is important to establish a baseline of current sleep health. Please feel free to open the STOP BANG questionnaire below to measure your risk of having sleep disordered breathing. Being at risk for obstructive sleep apnea doesn’t always mean having a facemask. Learn about our services for not only sleep apnea, but snoring in the links below.
OUR DOCTORS
Together Dr. Ence and Dr. Schmitt are members of the International Academy of Sleep, as well as the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. They use state of the art technology to treat patients with sleep disordered breathing. They work in coordination with ENT’s, cardiologists, pulmonologists and primary care physicians to offer patients custom fit oral devices. They have worked hard to credential with many medical insurances including Medicare their goal it to help as many as they can in the community to Breathe, Sleep, Rise.
DR. ERYN E. ENCE
Orthodontist
DR. JOANNA M. SCHMITT
Dentist
UNDERSTANDING SLEEP APNEA
WHAT IS SLEEP APNEA?
Sleep apnea happens when upper airway muscles relax during sleep and pinch off the airway. The lack of adequate airflow and can occur continuously throughout the night. This scenario is called obstructive sleep apnea or OSA. Obstructive sleep apnea can range from mild to severe, based on a measurement system called the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). The AHI measures the number of breathing pauses that you experience per hour that you sleep.
Obstructive sleep apnea is classified by severity:
- Severe obstructive sleep apnea means that your AHI is greater than 30 (more than 30 episodes per hour)
- Moderate obstructive sleep apnea means that your AHI is between 15 and 30
- Mild obstructive sleep apnea means that your AHI is between 5 and 15
RISKS OF SLEEP APNEA
Most think that eating healthy and regular exercise are the most important factors to heart health. Turns out, the quality of your sleep is also equally critical to the hearts well-being. Undiagnosed sleep apnea increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and an overall shortened life span.
FAQ'S
Millions of people in the US have sleep apnea—suffering through restless nights, sleep deprivation, low oxygenation, and headaches, all without recognizing their symptoms. Our sleep dentists, Dr. Ence and Dr. Schmitt, have provided information and tips below to help patients understand their symptoms. To learn more about sleep apnea in Henderson and Las Vegas phone our local office at (725)344-1888.
This sleeping disorder is divided into two main types: obstructive and central sleep apnea. Both occur when breathing becomes very shallow or stops for short durations while sleeping, and can occur hundreds of times throughout a single sleep cycle.
There are many symptoms of sleep apnea that are easily recognizable to the suffer. These include loud, chronic snoring, waking up choking or out of breath, restless sleep cycles, early morning headaches, daily fatigue, and difficulty falling or staying asleep. If a patient takes depression, blood pressure, or GERD medications, or is clinically overweight, those
medications may also contribute to a sleep apnea disorder.
Sleep apnea can disrupt a patient’s deep sleep cycle, causing persistent sleep deprivation. Not only can this make a person feel tired and fatigued throughout the day, it can also lead to increased risk for high blood pressure, depression, headaches, ADHD symptoms, diabetes, stroke, and heart failure.
Unless a patient is suffering from sinus or nasal congestion, snoring is a symptom of obstructed airways. A soft palate and collapsed tissues in the back of the throat can vibrate as air passes through. Common causes are large tonsils, sleeping position, alcohol consumption, excess weight around the neck, or sleeping pills and muscle relaxers. Snoring can also be a sign of sleep disorders, UARS (upper airway resistance syndrome) and OSA (obstructive sleep apnea). These disorders cause sleep deprivation and lead to increased headaches, migraines, heartburn, acid-reflux, and an increased risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
At-home treatments for snoring include regular exercise, weight loss, and avoiding sleeping pills, alcohol, and sedative before going to bed. But, if these treatments fail to resolve a patient’s problem, they speak with their local sleep specialist to learn about treatment plans and possible apnea diagnosis.
Sleep apnea is often treated through sleep hygiene regimens, such as getting moderate exercise or limiting caffeine, alcohol and food consumption late in the day. Breathe Right® strips and similar products can also ease sleep apnea along with CPAP machines or fitted oral appliances. Surgical options are also available depending on the patient. Maxillomandibular Advancement Surgery, or MMA surgery, tightens the soft palate and enlarges the upper airways by pulling the upper and lower jaws forward. ENT surgeons can perform soft palate surgery, or Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). These treatments are recommended only if the throat or mouth has severe physical obstructions.
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when a patient’s throat muscles relax and obstruct airflow, interrupting the natural breathing cycle.
More uncommon than obstructive sleep apnea, this type of disorder is also more dangerous. Central sleep apnea is a condition in which the patient’s muscles do not receive the signals that monitor breathing movement.
CPAP, is also known as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. Using a mask, the CPAP machine presses air gently through the nose and mouth and into the lungs. The consistent pressure allows the sleeping patient to take deep, uninterrupted breaths, without the tissues in the back of the throat collapsing. However, some patients react negatively to CPAP, since in some cases the machine can cause extreme discomfort. Dr. Ence/Schmitt offer snoring treatment alternatives for those who are CPAP-intolerant.
Oral Appliance Therapy treats sleep apnea through fitted appliances that reposition the mouth to increase airflow. The most common appliance is a MRD or mandibular repositioning device. These move the jaw into a forward position, lifting the palate and increasing space located behind the tongue. But to fit each of our patients, Sleep Envy offers a variety of appliances including: Dynaflex Dorsal™, Prosomnus Evo, Prosomnus PH.
CONTACT US
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and are interested in alternative therapy, please feel free to contact us via phone or email. If you haven’t been diagnosed, but are concerned with your sleep patterns please review the STOP BANG questionnaire on the website and call to schedule a consultation. The consultations are free of charge and include diagnostic photos, xrays and a complete dental evaluation to ensure a device is suitable for you.
CONTACT INFO
PHONE:
EMAIL:
ADDRESS:
8490 S. Eastern Avenue Ste A Las Vegas NV, 89123
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HOURS:
Mon - Thurs: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Fri: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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OUR LATEST NEWS & UPDATES
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