The Connection Between Sleep Apnea & Tmj Disorder

By Author: Eric Taibl
Total Articles: 49
Comment this article

Often, we dentists help patients get through TMJ disorder. After all, the condition can seriously harm your oral health. However, treatment sometimes requires dealing with additional issues as well. In particular, fixing a TMJ issue may require that we also correct your sleep apnea. The two problems are actually quite connected! If you’d like to learn more, we’ll happily explain the matter. So, here’s a summary of sleep apnea, how it can cause TMJ disorder, and how dentists treat both at once.

Some Context: What’s Sleep Apnea?
If you don’t already know, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition that causes you to stop breathing while asleep. It generally occurs when something (usually body tissue) obstructs your airway, reducing or stopping airflow. As that happens, the lack of oxygen activates a survival reflex to wake you enough to resume breathing.

Needless to say, sleep apnea involves some unpleasant symptoms. These include the following:

• Loud snoring
• Gasping for air during sleep
• Morning ...
... headache(s)
• Insomnia
• Concentration struggles while awake
• Irritability

Sleep Apnea Triggers TMJ Issues
In recent years, researchers have found a link between sleep apnea and TMJ disorder. Namely, it seems the former can actually cause and worsen the latter.

The reason, you see, has to do with sleep apnea’s airway changes. In many cases, these force the body to push your lower jaw forward to open the airway. This motion, in turn, can put stress and tension on the jaw joint and increase the likelihood of TMJ disorder.

Given these facts, it’s no surprise that sleep apnea and the jaw are connected. As such, take time to consider whether your achy jaw is related to pre-existing sleep troubles.

How Should You Respond?
Luckily, dentists have ways to treat both sleep apnea and TMJ disorder. It’s just a matter of finding the right option at the right dental practice.
For example, your dental provider could offer you an oral appliance. This custom-fit device, when worn at night, would reposition your lower jaw to keep the airway open. You’d then be able to breathe without pause while taking strain off your jaw joints.
A dentist could also instruct you on home exercises to reduce jaw pain. Usually, these can range from home massages to various kinds of stretches. By practicing them, you’d boost your jaw joint’s mobility to bite, chew, and yawn without discomfort.
Ultimately, TMJ challenges don’t exist apart from other body issues. Remember, then, to see your dentist for help with your jaw and sleep apnea!