Sleep shouldn’t feel like a struggle, yet millions of Americans battle obstructive sleep apnea every night without even knowing it. About 22% of Americans live with this condition, experiencing interrupted breathing, restless nights, and exhausting days filled with fatigue and difficulty concentrating. Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to serious health complications including hypertension, heart disease, and reduced quality of life.
At Dee for Dentist, we provide effective sleep apnea treatment across multiple Las Vegas locations to help you breathe easier and sleep better. Our team uses advanced diagnostic technology like CBCT scans and digital impressions to create custom oral sleep appliances designed for your comfort. Whether you need general dentistry services or specialized sleep apnea care, we’re here with a compassionate, fun approach to help you live longer and smile more.
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What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious sleeping disorder causing repeated interruptions in breathing throughout the night. Think of it like a roadblock on your breathing highway—when you sleep, your airway collapses or becomes blocked, temporarily stopping airflow to your lungs. These pauses can occur dozens or even hundreds of times per night, disrupting your sleep cycle and preventing your body from getting the deep, restorative rest it needs. Most people with OSA aren’t aware they stop breathing—they just wake up feeling unrested and struggle through exhausting days.
Who Is at Risk of Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea can affect people of all ages, but certain risk factors significantly increase your likelihood of developing this condition. Understanding your risk factors is the first step toward better sleep and better health:
- Obesity
- Above-average sized tonsils or adenoids
- Certain facial configurations, such as a small bottom jaw
- Age (risk increases with age, particularly after 40)
- Lifestyle habits, such as drinking and smoking
- Narrow airways
- High blood pressure
- Heart or kidney failure
- Opioid use
- Premature birth
- Thick neck circumference (typically 17+ inches for men, 16+ inches for women)
If you recognize any of these risk factors in yourself, don’t worry—effective treatment options are available. At Dee for Dentist, we can schedule a consultation to discuss your options for sleep apnea treatment in Las Vegas, walk through your specific risk factors, and create a personalized care plan. You’re not alone in this journey.
Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea has many tell-tale signs you may notice even if you sleep alone. Common symptoms include loud snoring (often with gasping or choking sounds), interrupted or restless sleep, excessive daytime tiredness, morning headaches, irritability and mood changes, difficulty focusing, trouble falling or staying asleep, dry mouth or sore throat upon waking, memory and concentration issues, reduced libido or erectile dysfunction, and unexplained weight gain or difficulty losing weight.
Even when symptoms seem obvious, many people don’t realize something is wrong or suspect they might have sleep apnea. Eventually, untreated symptoms can become more serious and profoundly impact your health, leading to complications like high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke risk, and heart problems. That’s why it’s important to see your dentist or doctor as soon as you suspect a problem. We always recommend visiting your dentist twice a year—we may notice signs of dry mouth, teeth grinding, or other indicators well before you’re aware there’s a problem.
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How We Diagnose and Treat Sleep Apnea
At Dee for Dentist, we take a structured, technology-driven approach to identifying and managing obstructive sleep apnea. Our process begins by identifying symptoms and risk factors during your initial exam or consultation. If we detect signs of OSA, we conduct a CBCT scan to measure your airway dimensions and evaluate potential obstructions—giving us a detailed 3D view of exactly what’s happening when you sleep.
Should the scan indicate a risk for sleep apnea, we’ll provide you with a convenient take-home sleep study. The study results are reviewed by a board-certified sleep medicine physician who diagnoses the condition and prescribes appropriate treatment if necessary. If an oral sleep appliance is recommended, we proceed with a digital scan using our advanced Primescan system during your next visit. This scan, combined with the CBCT data, helps us determine the precise positioning for your customized appliance—ensuring maximum comfort and effectiveness.
The scans are sent to Somnomed to fabricate your custom device. At your final appointment, we fit and deliver the appliance, making any necessary adjustments to ensure it’s both comfortable and effective. The Somnomed appliance is designed as a two-piece solution—think of it like comfortable dental retainers working together—allowing you to drink and even talk while wearing it. You’ll wear the device nightly, as it gently keeps your lower jaw in a forward position, preventing airway collapse and dramatically improving your sleep quality.
Additional Treatment Options for Sleep Apnea
Custom sleep appliances aren’t your only option—we believe in providing choices fitting your lifestyle and needs. Additional treatment options include CPAP machines (the gold standard for severe OSA), surgical interventions like maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) to increase airway space or turbinate reduction to decrease airway resistance, and lifestyle modifications. Behavioral changes making a significant difference include regular physical activity, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, improving sleep hygiene by limiting screen time before bed, reducing alcohol and caffeine intake, quitting smoking, and trying side sleeping instead of back sleeping.
Many additional options, both surgical and non-surgical, exist to treat obstructive sleep apnea effectively. If you have questions about the options available to you, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with Dee for Dentist. We can schedule a consultation to discuss which sleep apnea treatments in Las Vegas are the best fit for you and your lifestyle. There’s always a way forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is obstructive sleep apnea and who is at risk?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious sleeping disorder that disrupts your airways, leading to involuntary pauses in breathing throughout the night. About 22% of Americans live with OSA, which can affect people of all ages. Risk factors include obesity, above-average sized tonsils, certain facial configurations like a small bottom jaw, age, lifestyle habits such as drinking and smoking, narrow airways, high blood pressure, heart or kidney failure, opioid use, premature birth, and having a thick neck. Despite its seriousness, many individuals remain undiagnosed and untreated. Think of it like a roadblock in your breathing highway – we’re here to help clear the path so you can live longer and smile more.
What are the common symptoms of sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea has many tell-tale signs you may notice even if you live alone. Common symptoms include snoring, interrupted and restless sleep, daytime tiredness, morning headaches, irritability and mood changes, difficulty focusing, difficulty falling asleep, dry mouth, sore throat, issues with memory and concentration, reduced libido and erectile dysfunction, and difficulty losing weight or unexplained weight increase. If left untreated, these symptoms can become more serious and profoundly impact your health. We always recommend seeing your dentist twice a year – we may notice signs of dry mouth or other indicators well before you’re aware there’s a problem.
How do we diagnose and treat sleep apnea at Dee for Dentist?
At Dee for Dentist, we take a structured approach to identifying and managing sleep apnea because we’re here to help you live longer and smile more. Our process begins by identifying symptoms and risk factors during your initial exam. If we detect signs of OSA, we conduct a CBCT scan to measure your airway and evaluate potential obstructions. If the scan indicates risk for sleep apnea, we provide a take-home sleep study reviewed by a sleep medicine physician who diagnoses the condition and prescribes treatment if necessary. If an oral sleep appliance is recommended, we use our advanced digital Primescan system combined with CBCT data to create a customized Somnomed appliance just for you.
What treatment options are available for sleep apnea?
We offer several effective treatment options because we believe everyone deserves quality sleep. Our custom oral sleep appliances, like the Somnomed device, are a two-piece solution that allows you to drink and talk while wearing it. The device keeps your lower jaw in a forward position, preventing airway collapse – think of it as a gentle support system for your breathing. Additional options include surgical therapy such as maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) or turbinate reduction, CPAP machines, and lifestyle modifications like regular physical activity, maintaining a regular sleep schedule, improving sleep hygiene, limiting alcohol and caffeine use, quitting smoking, and side sleeping. We’ll work with you to find the approach that best fits your lifestyle and helps you achieve better health.
How can I schedule a sleep apnea consultation at Dee for Dentist?
We’d love to help you get the quality sleep you deserve! You can schedule a consultation to discuss your sleep apnea treatment options by calling our Silverado Ranch location at (702) 586-7800 or our Medical District location at (702) 870-3818. You can also reach out through our online contact form. Our Las Vegas team uses the latest technology and treatment methods to provide personalized, cutting-edge solutions for sleep apnea. We prioritize your comfort and satisfaction with comprehensive evaluations and custom treatment plans. Remember, everything we do is guided by our vision: to help you live longer and smile more.
