Sleep Apnea & TMD
Healthy sleep is crucial for overall health. We all require sleep to grow muscle, balance hormones, and repair tissues. A regular pattern of healthy sleep can also help you maintain a healthy weight, keep your immune system strong, and is vital to your mental and emotional health. Sleep apnea occurs when a person stops breathing in their sleep, experiencing periods where the brain does not get enough oxygen. These episodes directly affect the quality of a person’s sleep and can have long-term health consequences.
TMD, or disorder of the jaw joints, occurs when the small joints connecting the jaw to the skull bone are strained or damaged. This can result in pain or discomfort, a clicking or grinding sound when opening and closing the mouth, or complete jawbone immobility. TMD can reduce the quality of life for those experiencing TMD symptoms.
At Lone Star Family Dentistry, we strive to provide optimal care for our patients who may have sleep apnea or TMJ disorders. Read more below to learn about how we and our partner Dr. Villaruel can help treat these common problems.
Sleep apnea is the second most common sleep disorder in America, affecting about 20 million people each night, and can leave a person feeling exhausted due to a lack of restful sleep. Sleep apnea can also negatively impact your overall health, with several studies showing an association between sleep apnea and problems like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks, depression/anxiety, and even a shortened lifespan.
Safe Guard Your Sleep
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Of course, everyone snores sometimes. However, if snoring is accompanied by any of these other symptoms, then it’s time to consider the possibility that you or a loved one has sleep apnea. These include:
Consistent morning headaches or a sore throat
Frequently needing to go to the bathroom during the night
Irritability and moodiness during the day
Daytime drowsiness
Memory problems and difficulty concentrating
Treating Sleep Apnea
For many years, a CPAP machine was the gold standard for treating sleep apnea. However, many people do not consistently use their machines because they are uncomfortable, loud, or inconvenient. At Woodbridge Family Dental, we can help people struggling with sleep apnea by prescribing a custom-made oral appliance. This small mouthguard gently shifts your lower jaw forward to keep your airway open, giving patients the restful sleep they deserve.
Like other joints in the body the jaw joint, or TMJ, can develop issues due to strain or injury, leading to what is called a TMJ disorder, or TMD. People with TMD can exhibit symptoms like a painful jaw, chronic headaches, and may even develop neck and shoulder pain. Other common symptoms of TMD include:
Pain or tenderness in your face, jaw joint area, neck and shoulders, and in or around the ear when you chew or speak
Problems when you try to open your mouth wide
Jaws that get "stuck" or "locked" in the open- or closed-mouth position
Clicking, popping, or grinding sounds in the jaw joint when you open or close your mouth
Trouble chewing or a sudden uncomfortable bite, affecting how the teeth fit together
Swelling on the side of your face
Symptoms of TMD/TMJ Disorder
Treating TMD
Based on the cause of your TMD, Woodbridge Family Dental we offer a variety of treatment options for each patient. Continue reading below to learn about our treatment options.
At Lone Star Smiles, our approach to dentistry is preventative, but in certain situations, medications such as anti-inflammatories and/or low-dose muscle relaxers are needed to help relieve jaw pain and muscle tightness, especially for patients whose TMD is linked to clenching or grinding.
Medication
An occlusal adjustment can help patients whose TMD is caused by a misalignment of the bite, which prevents the jaw joint from reaching its natural resting position. The easiest way to address this is by carefully and purposefully reshaping a few teeth so that a patient’s bite can come together properly. This reshaping involves painless, minimal reduction of the enamel, or outer layer of the teeth, that is interfering with how the teeth fit together.
Occlusal Adjustment
An occlusal splint is a custom mouthpiece that a patient wears while sleeping. It helps with TMD by guiding the jaw into a more natural position in order to allow the joint and associated muscles to relax and heal. After a while, the jaw should “learn” to stay in this new position, enabling a patient to go throughout the day without any pain.
Occlusal Splint
In some instances, a referral to a TMJ specialist may be needed to get a patient optimal care. If our traditional treatment methods will not achieve the desired outcome, Dr. Villaruel or Dr. Vera may recommend a specialist to evaluate your TMD for further treatment options.