Michael A. Larsen, DDS, FAGDSky Sessions, DDS, MAGD|
Rexburg, ID|
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(208) 359-1500|
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Do you or any of your loved ones snore? Do you suffer from daytime sleepiness? Millions of people today are living with undiagnosed and untreated sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder in which the sleeping person periodically stops breathing. This can happen for a number of reasons, including temporary blockage of breathing during sleep. If left untreated, this sleep disorder is linked to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and other illnesses. One common tool people use to treat the issue is using a CPAP machine. A CPAP machine is an airway pressure ventilation device where pressure is applied to the upper respiratory tract to encourage breathing during sleep. However, many people do not prefer to use a CPAP machine to treat the issue. For patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea, there are alternative options available.
Custom-designed mouthguards called Mandibular Advancement Devices (MAD), are individually shaped to each patient’s mouth. It eases sleep apnea symptoms by moving the jaw forward. The realignment of the jaw opens up the airway to improve breathing, and often puts a stop to snoring. Severe sleep apnea will often require the use of a CPAP machine or, rarely, jaw correction surgery.
Some patients suffer from other sleep ailments that are hazardous to their oral health. Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD, or often referred to as TMJ) affect millions of Americans. Patients with TMJ often experience pain in their jaw and face and can have impaired eating and speaking in serious cases. In TMJ, the joint that allows the bottom jaw to move stops working properly. There are a few different types of TMD: disc displacement, arthritic changes, and myofascial pain dysfunction. Many times, however, it is difficult to determine which type of TMD you have without seeking medical advice from a specialist. Some common symptoms include jaw clicking or popping when opening and closing your mouth, pain in the jaw muscles, teeth grinding (bruxism), headaches, and neck pain. Mouthguards are recommended for serious TMJ cases in which it is slow to go away.
Bruxism is the unconscious grinding of the teeth. While teeth grinding can happen during the day, most patients with bruxism clench their jaws and grind their teeth at night while they sleep. Bruxism also causes mouth and facial pain. If not treated, bruxism can lead to severe tooth damage. Mouthguards are often recommended for patients with bruxism as it provides cushioning and protection of teeth. Some symptoms include headaches, jaw tenderness, worn tooth enamel, earache or hearing loss due to clenching your jaw so tight that you may dislocate your TMJ (temporomandibular joint). Excessive drooling can happen in children under the age of three who experience nighttime biting behavior .
