Welcome to Ocotillo
Sleep Solutions!

At Ocotillo Sleep Solutions, we take great pride in our work. We love using our expertise to help our patients overcome sleep apnea and enable them to enjoy more energy, enhanced focus, and better health overall. If you currently struggle with snoring, sleep apnea, or CPAP intolerance, Dr. Jones invites you to come in for a treatment especially designed for you. When you prepare to visit our practice for the first time, we want you to know exactly what to expect, so read below and feel free to give us a call.

Let’s face it—convenience is important to you, which is why we always look for new ways to save you time and offer efficient treatment. By filling out our forms in the comfort of your own home before you come, you can help speed up the check-in process. Just download and print them by clicking on the link below, and bring the completed forms to our office, and we’ll get you in to see Dr. Jones as soon as possible.

We don’t want the cost of your care to stand between you and a restful night’s sleep. That’s why our team is happy to work with your insurance and lower your out-of-pocket costs. Sleep appliances are tricky: although provided by a dentist, they aren’t covered by dental insurance. However, we can use your medical insurance plan to cover costs because these appliances treat a medical condition. Our team knows all the ins and outs of different insurance plans, and we’ll make it easy to get the most value from your benefits. We’ll even handle all the claim paperwork!

Learn More About Medical Insurance and Sleep Apnea

Our team at Ocotillo Sleep Solutions accepts Medicare, which means absolutely everyone in Mesa can access our high-quality sleep care at an affordable rate. Although Medicare can be quite complicated, our team makes the process as smooth and easy as possible. We’ll double check that you have the right forms at the right time to take advantage of your full benefits and keep your costs low. We stay on top of the constantly changing regulations, and we’re happy to respond to any questions you might have.

Learn More About Medicare

If you would like to spread out payment for your oral appliance over the course of several months, we offer financing through a trusted third-party financier that works with thousands of doctors around the country called CareCredit. They offer several flexible, low-to-no interest plans. You can learn more about your options and even sign up by clicking on the link below. Also feel free to give our office a call if you have additional questions.

The Less Common
Type of Sleep Apnea

Discussions about sleep apnea often center on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is one of the most common sleep disorders. However, many people may not realize that there is another type of sleep apnea: central sleep apnea (CSA). What is CSA, how does it differ from OSA, and what can you do to find out if you are suffering from either condition? This page discusses the answers to those important questions.

Both OSA and CSA are characterized by pauses in breathing throughout the night. Many of their symptoms are similar. For example, they can both lead to excessive daytime drowsiness, decreased productivity at work, and a heightened risk of numerous health systemic health conditions. However, there are some key differences between the two conditions:

• Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when tissues in the back of the throat block the upper airway, leading to disruptions in breathing.
• Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain does not send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing.

There are numerous possible causes of CSA:

• Cheyne-Stokes breathing. This condition is defined by a cycle wherein a person’s breathing speeds up, slows down, stops, then starts again. It occurs in about half of CSA cases.
• Medications. Narcotic medications, such as morphine and oxycodone, may affect breathing patterns.
• High CSA is more common among people who are at an elevation of 8,000 feet or more.
• Medical conditions. Heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, kidney failure, and stroke may all increase the risk of central sleep apnea.

In some cases, there is no clear cause of central sleep apnea. This is referred to as primary or idiopathic CSA.

CSA is more than a mere annoyance. It can contribute to a higher risk of numerous health complications, including:

• Heart attack or heart failure
• Stroke
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Uneven heartbeat

If you are already struggling with serious health conditions, including some of those listed above, CSA may exacerbate them and make them more difficult to control. For example, not getting enough sleep may make it challenging for individuals with diabetes to get enough exercise. It can also increase cravings for unhealthy foods.

If you are concerned about the quality of your sleep, consider scheduling a consultation with your doctor. They will learn about your symptoms and recommend your next steps. They may refer you to a clinic that provides sleep testing. During a sleep test, sophisticated machines monitor your breathing and other vital signs throughout a night. The results of the test will help to determine whether you have sleep apnea, what type of sleep apnea you have, and how severe your condition is.

Once you receive a proper diagnosis, you can begin to explore your treatment options. Your doctor may focus on managing other health conditions that contribute to CSA. If you have mixed sleep apnea (both OSA and CSA), you may benefit from a CPAP or oral appliance therapy.

Your Medical Insurance Can Help You Rest Easy

Medical plans vary greatly in the coverage they offer. However, there are some basic points that apply to most policies:

• Sleep testing and sleep apnea treatment are usually covered. Keep in mind, however, that you may need pre-authorization from your insurance company.
• A deductible may apply. You might need to pay a certain amount out of pocket before your insurance kicks in.
• You will have either a coinsurance or a copay. A copay is a set dollar amount that you must pay for certain services, while coinsurance is the percentage of a service’s cost that you must pay. Most plans enforce either a coinsurance or a copy, not both.

If you have questions about how your medical plan works, its online portal may have valuable information. Our team members can also prove to be a rich source of information when you are trying to understand how your policy applies to the sleep apnea services we offer.

Medical Insurance vs. Dental Insurance

Even though Dr. Jones is a dentist, dental insurance does not apply to the sleep apnea services he provides. That is because dental insurance focuses primarily on preventing and treating conditions that are directly related to oral health, such as cavities and gum disease. Medical insurance, on the other hand, focuses on protecting policyholders’ overall health and is usually the best type of coverage for patients who are striving to conquer a sleep disorder.

At Ocotillo Sleep Solutions, we are pleased to accept payment from most PPO health insurance plans, regardless of whether we are in a plan’s network.

In-Network

If a care provider is in an insurance plan’s network, it means that they have a contract that controls prices. This helps the insurance company and patients save money. We are proud to be in-network with:

• United Healthcare
• BlueCross BlueShield
• Tricare
• Medicare
• AHCCCS

We have extensive experience in working with these companies and are in a good position to help you get the greatest possible value from your coverage.

Out of Network

Even if we are out of your PPO plan’s network, you may still be able to use your benefits here! We will file your claims for you, help you understand your coverage, and do our best to keep your out of pocket expenses to a minimum.

Do you need sleep apnea treatment? Our team is ready to welcome you as a new patient and help you take advantage of your medical benefits. Contact us to learn more about how we can serve you.

OSA Diagnosis at Home

Do you suspect you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or another sleep disorder? Many people who experience symptoms of OSA hesitate to get tested. They dread the idea of spending a night in a strange laboratory with a bunch of machines hooked up to them. Is that true of you? Dr. Jones and the team at Ocotillo Sleep Solutions understand your concerns. That is why we offer convenient at-home sleep testing via an innovative device from ResMed.

The ResMed appliance is a small sleep monitoring device that you can easily use without professional assistance. It consists of several different parts:

• A recording device
• An effort sensor
• A belt, which attaches to the effort sensor and the recorder
• A nasal cannula
• A pulse oximeter

We’ll give you detailed instructions to ensure that you are wearing the device properly. Once you have it strapped on, you will simply go to sleep. As you rest, the machine will monitor some of your vital statistics, including respiratory effort, pulse, oxygen saturation, nasal flow, and snoring. Following the competition of your test, you’ll return the device to our office. An expert will analyze your results and then let you know whether you have OSA and how severe your condition is.

A sleep test with the ResMed device offers some significant benefits, including:

• Accurate diagnosis. Studies have found that the ResMed device’s accuracy is comparable to that of an in-lab polysomnography test.
• User friendliness. The instructions for using the device are easy to follow. Most patients have no problems setting it up correctly.
• Most medical insurance policies cover at-home sleep testing. Even if your policy does not, you won’t have to pay an arm and a leg for your time with the ResMed device. The overall cost is much lower than what you would pay at a regular sleep laboratory.
• It might feel a little odd to be connected to a machine while you sleep, but the device shouldn’t cause any significant disruptions to your nighttime routine.
• With in-lab sleep testing, you must deal with the hassles of traveling to a clinic, sleeping in an unfamiliar bed, and remembering to pack all your nighttime supplies. The at-home nature of the ResMed device offers superior convenience.

Here are a few suggestions to contribute to a successful test with the ResMed device:

• On the day of your test, try to stick to your normal routine. The only adjustment you may have to make is to your caffeine consumption. We usually ask patients to abstain from caffeine after lunchtime.
• Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions about how to use the sleep testing device.
• Try to sleep in your normal position.
• Wear a shirt to bed so the device’s belt won’t irritate your bare skin.

Would you like to learn more about at-home sleep apnea diagnosis with the remarkable ResMed device? Contact our friendly team today to ask questions or request a consultation with Dr. Jones.

Making It Easy to Afford Sleep Apnea Therapy

Understandably, many of our patients are concerned about the cost of sleep apnea therapy. While traditional medical insurance usually covers the treatment, not everyone has that type of coverage. Countless individuals rely on Medicare to help them fill their medical needs. We recognize that, which is why we are happy to accept Medicare and assist our patients in figuring out exactly how their plan can reduce the cost of their sleep apnea treatment.

Depending on the specifics of the parts of Medicare that you are participating in, your plan might cover:

• The equipment you need. Both CPAP machines and oral sleep appliances are considered to be “durable medical equipment” under Medicare guidelines. Therefore, a large percentage of their cost is covered.
• Your sleep study. Not sure if you have sleep apnea or if your sleep problems are due to a different disorder? A sleep study can help you find the answers you need. Medicare often covers this basic diagnostic test, whether your doctor prescribes an in-lab or at-home sleep test.
• Doctor visits. Please give us your Medicare information before you come in for your appointment. We’ll make sure to apply your coverage so you pay as little out of pocket as possible.

Exactly how much of your treatment Medicare will cover depends on the specific details of your coverage. If you aren’t sure how your plan applies, our friendly team will be happy to help you figure it out. In some cases, patients pay little to nothing out of pocket. In other cases, a patient might owe around 20 percent of the cost of their oral appliance therapy.

If you have any concerns about the amount of your coinsurance, let us know. We may be able to help you arrange for low-interest financing through CareCredit.

Medicare is an invaluable resource for many patients. However, recognize that it has its challenges. In order to take advantage of your coverage, you may have to prove that a treatment is truly necessary, ensure that your care provider works with Medicare, and keep track of a lot of paperwork.

Our team doesn’t want you to stress about any of that. We have a thorough understanding of how the various parts of Medicare relate to sleep apnea treatment and diagnosis. You can rely on us to figure out whether your Medicare plan covers your treatment. We’ll also file all necessary claims and help you manage of all the little details that go into taking advantage of your benefits. We make it our aim to stay up to date on the latest Medicare rules and regulations.

Would you like to learn more about how you can use Medicare to finally find relief from sleep apnea? Contact us today to ask questions or request an appointment! We look forward to helping you enjoy the excellent sleep you deserve!

Custom-Made Appliances
to Give You Better Sleep

Most patients with sleep apnea require help to achieve deep sleep and will be told to use a CPAP machine every night. However, according to studies, patients generally find sleeping with a CPAP so uncomfortable that nearly half stop using it after the first year! Fortunately, if you have mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), you have a simpler alternative—oral appliance therapy in Mesa, AZ.

At Ocotillo Sleep Solutions in Mesa, Dr. Paul Jones can provide custom-made, comfortable appliances for patients with sleep apnea and/or snoring. These are easy to use and have been proven to dramatically increase sleep quality at night.

After you have been diagnosed with OSA with a sleep physician, you can then get a sleep appliance from Dr. Jones. Worn only to bed, these appliances fit over the teeth just like an athletic mouthguard. They keep the airway open by slightly moving the lower jaw to a forward position, meaning that throat and facial tissues don’t relax to the point of stopping flow. As a result, you are able to sleep and breathe restfully night after night, giving them energy and focus to tackle the new day.

Easy to Use: With a CPAP, you have to plug in a machine and constantly clean a variety of tubes, but an oral appliance entails simply putting it in your mouth when you go to bed, and that’s it!

Improved Comfort: Specifically made for each patient, our oral appliances fit perfectly and help you enjoy a quality night’s rest. In fact, compared to the bulky mask of a CPAP machine, most patients find oral appliance therapy to be significantly more comfortable.

Completely Quiet: Unlike a loud CPAP, oral appliances make no noise, meaning you don’t have worry about disturbing your partner’s sleep.

Made for Travel: Because of its size and cumbersome tubing, a CPAP can be difficult to take on a trip, which why most patients simply leave their CPAP at home. However, those with sleep apnea who travel frequently can’t truly benefit from this treatment. Small enough to fit into your pocket, an oral appliance is easy to bring along in anyone’s luggage.

An oral appliance can be beneficial for patients who:

• Have mild to moderate OSA
• Don’t like using their CPAP or are CPAP intolerant
• Use a CPAP but don’t get the results they want
• Have undergone corrective surgery but still have sleep apnea symptoms
• Snore every night (because of sleep apnea or not)
• Experience bruxism (unconscious teeth grinding) as well as sleep apnea
• Could improve their quality of sleep through combined therapy

Please note that with severe OSA or central sleep apnea, a CPAP machine and/or surgery may be the only viable treatment options available.

If your primary goal is to stop snoring, obtaining a sleep appliance with Dr. Jones is pretty simple. All you have to do is schedule a consultation here at Ocotillo Sleep Solutions and talk to him about your concerns, and he will examine your airway to determine whether an oral appliance can help. If there’s reason to believe that you might have sleep apnea, he may recommend a sleep test. Otherwise, he will collect an impression of your teeth and use the mold to design your appliance, which should be ready to pick up about a week later.

If you already suspect that you have sleep apnea, you need to get a diagnosis first, which comes from a sleep test with a sleep doctor. If you need help, our team can arrange it for you. We offer at-home sleep testing so you don’t have to spend a night in an unfamiliar, uncomfortable lab. Afterward, the results are sent to a local sleep physician for evaluation. If diagnosed with sleep apnea, you are then eligible to receive a uniquely designed appliance with Dr. Jones.

In order to be effective and fit comfortably, each oral appliance has to be tailored to every patient’s unique teeth. In fact, Dr. Jones takes great pride in custom-designing every single appliance, using only the top manufacturers in the world. Here, we don’t believe in “one-size-fits-all” treatment, which is why our patients consistently get the rest they need.

If you are already being treated with a CPAP machine and are interested in oral appliance therapy for whatever reason, we recommend that you consult your sleep doctor to determine whether or not oral appliance therapy could work for you. Based on that conversation, Dr. Jones can collaborate with the doctor to get you an oral appliance. Just keep in mind that oral appliance therapy may not be a good solution for everyone.

Although the sleep appliances offered by Ocotillo Sleep Solutions come through a dentist, they are not typically covered by dental insurance. However, oral appliance therapy can actually be covered through your medical insurance because this solution treats a medical condition. We completely understand that this can be a little confusing for patients, but luckily our insurance coordinator, Angela, is an expert in all things related to insurance with knowledge of how to use your various benefits to reduce your out-of-pocket expense for your appliance. If you ever have any questions, Angela will be more than happy to answer them for you!

For Dr. Jones, there’s nothing more rewarding than helping a patient become healthier and happier through the power of quality sleep. He is here to guide you through the treatment process smoothly and without stress, leading to uninterrupted rest that leaves you feeling excited about waking up in the morning again. Interested in learning more about him? Keep reading below.

Dr. Jones actually grew up in a dental-oriented family – his father was an orthodontist, and his father-in-law was a dentist! He learned a lot from both men, discovering just how rewarding the field could be. Today, he has both a brother and a brother-in-law who are orthodontists, another brother-in-law who is a periodontist, and two more brothers-in-law who are general dentists.

While Dr. Jones has loved his career as a dentist and learning about as many facets of the field as he possibly can, dental sleep medicine has become his primary focus. This is partly for a personal reason: he struggles with Obstructive Sleep Apnea himself. Because of this, he understands the struggles his patients face with traditional CPAP machines and also knows firsthand how helpful an oral appliance can be when trying to treat OSA!

After completing his undergraduate degree at Brigham Young University, Dr. Jones pursued his dental doctorate at the University of Iowa. He has also undergone state-of-the-art training in dental sleep medicine and has achieved diplomate in the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine (ABDSM). Today, he is an active member of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy and a Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry.

Dr. Jones have been married to his high school sweetheart for over 30 years, and they have five beautiful daughters together, along with one grandson. Outside of working hours, his top hobbies are hanging out with loved ones, taking the camping trailer out, traveling, keeping up with fitness, and anything to do with sports. He’s also a passionate hiker! In fact, he’s hiked the Grand Canyon rim to rim to rim (across AND back) all in one day, twice. That’s about 46 miles altogether. He and his wife have additionally hiked the entire Inca Trail in Peru, which ends at Machu Pichu. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

All You Need for
a Better Night’s Sleep

At first glance, you may wonder what a certified dentist like Dr. Jones could do to treat sleep apnea. The underlying cause of sleep apnea physically occurs in the mouth and throat, an area that dentists know very well. Some dentists, like Dr. Jones, pursue advanced training in sleep medicine, allowing them to combine their dental and sleep acumen. As a result, he can provide truly customized oral appliances that fit over the teeth comfortably and enable a patient to breathe normally throughout the night. With his experience and expertise, Dr. Jones has quickly become Mesa’s leading sleep apnea dentist.

Understanding This
Harmful Disorder Better

For many, sleep apnea is a very sneaky condition. You go to bed like you normally do, but in the morning, you feel as if you didn’t slept a wink. You may try to simply power through the exhaustion with lots of caffeine. More than 25 million Americans deal with sleep apnea right now, many of whom don’t realize that they have it. Of course, you may be wondering what is sleep apnea, what causes it, what are the symptoms, and how can it be treated?

At Ocotillo Sleep Solutions, we can more than just answer these questions for you; we can also provide treatment that turns your restless nights into peaceful, rejuvenating ones. If you would like understand sleep apnea more fully, read the information below.

Sleep apnea occurs when a person stops breathing while they sleep. These lapses usually last for less than 10 seconds, but they can happen up to 100 times every hour, interrupting the sleep cycle each time. As a result, the person can’t get the regenerative sleep required to function optimally the next day.

When breathing ceases, the body panics, causing a spike in blood pressure. Then, the body partially wakes up in order to restore normal respiration. Heightened blood pressure can linger even after the person recovers normal breathing and is awake, drastically increasing their risk for heart attack and stroke. Additionally, most people do not remember their apnea episodes in the morning, which is why they don’t realize that sleep apnea is to blame.

The two main kinds of sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea, have different causes and are therefore treated in different ways.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is by far the most common type, occurring when the soft tissues in the throat relax too much and blocks the airway. Large tonsils or adenoids, a stuffy nose on a constant basis, and a thick neck can increase your chances of developing OSA. Excessive fatty tissue around the throat, a result of obesity, can make the airway narrower and more easily cut off breathing.

On the other hand, Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) is a neurological issue. Basically, the brain literally fails to send the signal to breathe to the body. This can be due to various health conditions like heart and kidney failure or stroke. If a person takes certain drugs, particularly opiates, they may experience CSA.

People with sleep apnea often have some of the following symptoms:

• Consistent daytime drowsiness
• Loud, chronic snoring
• Waking up gasping or feeling out of breath
• Headaches and sore throats particularly in the morning
• Depression/mood swings
• Trouble losing weight or weight gain
• Hypertension
• Reduced focus/memory
• Sexual dysfunction

Are you worried that you may have sleep apnea? You should immediately consult a doctor. We invite you to fill out our STOP-BANG Assessment so we can evaluate your risk for the disorder. If we believe that you have sleep apnea based on your assessment, you will take an at-home sleep test to monitor your breathing at night. A sleep doctor will then review the results from the test and be able to make an official diagnosis.

If you do, in fact, have sleep apnea, then we can move onto mitigating its impact. Although CPAP therapy is the most popularly prescribed treatment today, many patients find this mask, which is connected to an air pump, extremely uncomfortable due to the machine’s bulk and noise. Dr. Jones offers a more effective alternative for patients with OSA or who are CPAP intolerant.

With a solution called oral appliance therapy, a patient simply wears a small mouthguard to bed. This oral appliance is specially designed to open up the airway. As a result, many patients prefer this approach because it is much more comfortable and easier to use.

In addition to keeping your partner or roommate awake at night, consistent snoring is probably the most common symptom of sleep apnea. More than a quirk, loud snoring every night shouldn’t be ignored. Although snoring doesn’t always automatically point to sleep apnea, it does indicate that a sleep issue, one that could progress to sleep apnea in the future. Fortunately, an oral appliance can be used to enhance the quality of sleep for both patient and everyone who sleeps around them.

Most medical insurance plans cover sleep apnea therapy either through a CPAP machine or oral appliance therapy. Here at Ocotillo Sleep Solutions, our knowledgeable team would love to help you maximize your medical insurance plan, making your appliance easily fit within your budget.

Untreated sleep apnea can have dangerous consequences for your short and long-term well-being, but you have all the resources you need here in Mesa. If you would like to ask us questions about sleep apnea or how you can overcome it, contact Ocotillo Sleep Solutions.

Comfortable & Convenient
Sleep Testing

If you believe you may have sleep apnea, you must first obtain an official diagnosis from a certified sleep physician in a sleep test. In years past, a patient would have to sleep in a special lab to complete the test. But more modern sleep tests record what a “typical” night of rest would be like. Basically, at-home sleep testing in Mesa, AZ monitors your breathing, heart rate, and other vital signs throughout the night, potentially revealing the symptoms of sleep apnea in a more typical sleep setting.

Our team at Ocotillo Sleep Solutions can give you the freedom to sleep in your own bed and experience a normal night for the test. This at-home test consists of a small, easy-to-use device, which keeps disruptions to a minimum. The device you’ll use to test your sleep is an advanced technology with 3 different sensors on it, which monitor your sleep throughout your night of rest. There is a small nasal tube that measures airflow, an adjustable belt that monitors body position/respiratory effort, and a finger sensor that tracks your heart rate and blood oxygen saturation.

The test will measure your breathing pattern, heart rhythms, snoring, breathing depth, blood oxygen saturation, body position, and more. Once the data is collected, it is stored in the at-home test. We will combine this data to diagnose your sleep apnea and develop a solution that is personalized, and it also tells us how severe your condition is.

We offer take-home sleep testing because of these amazing benefits:

• Take-home testing allows you to sleep in your normal surroundings, giving you the best chance at a regular night’s rest.
• You’ll enjoy remaining comfortable in your own home instead of at a lab.
• Take-home tests are typically more cost-effective than testing in a lab.
• It’s an ideal option for homebound or elderly patients who can’t visit a lab.
• Take-home tests are more convenient with your busy schedule.

On the day of your test, we’ll ask that you avoid napping or caffeine for the best results. You should also try to follow your daily routine as close as you can, going to bed at your usual time. You will attach the various sensors to your body as we instruct, and you may also need to keep a sleep log. When you wake up the next morning, you’ll bring the device back to our office.

The device we use for at-home sleep testing is from ResMed. This innovative instrument is easy to set up; we’ll provide you with all the instructions you need for a successful, stress-free test. All you have to do is attach it to yourself, go to sleep, and return it to our office the following day. Studies have demonstrated that at-home sleep testing devices from ResMed produce reliable results, so you can be confident in the diagnosis it provides.

Learn More About ResMed