Sleep Apnea & TMD
Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) is wide ranging condition that can effect all people regardless of age, sex, weight, or health. Research is now showing that snoring and teeth grinding are signs of a bigger problem with SDB. According to www.sleepapnea.org, it is estimated that 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, with 80 percent of the cases of moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea undiagnosed. Unfortunately, there is no easy one size fits all cure. For many the condition is rooted in jaw/teeth positioning as well as how we breathe. Our goal is to work with your primary care physician to gather necessary data and devise a plan custom to you. We can improve sleep with better breathing through myo functional therapy, custom sleep appliances, as well as Nightlase snoring reduction procedure with our Lightwalker twin laser.
A wonderful adventure for all ages.
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD) manifests in many different forms. Pain in the joint and corresponding muscles can be debilitating and life altering. TMD is often a result of underlying sleep disorders. If the body is not getting enough air at night it will push the jaw into a forward position. This repetitive process can result in muscle and joint disease. Additionally, trauma and tooth position can result in increased wear on the small cartilage disc in the joint and lead to a degenerative disorder of the joint. Clicking and popping can be an early sign of problems to come. If you have any limitations in movement or discomfort we can help slow or even reverse the degenerative process in the joint.
We customize our TMD treatment to each patient. It may involve starting with a sleep test, nightguard, or we may recommend a “Bite-Balancing” procedure with our TekScan called DTR (Disclusion Time Reduction)