Sleep Devices

Sleep disorders can have a significant negative impact on your overall health. Some of the prominent ones are sleep apnea, and bruxism, which often goes unnoticed as the patient would be asleep with no means of determining the onset of these conditions. Here are a few symptoms of these sleep disorders you can look out for and get the necessary treatment from a dentist:

• Pain in the TMJ joints and surrounding facial muscles
• Limited movement of the lower jaw
• The teeth appear to have worn out severely, due to which they may look shorter than they ideally should be
• Persistent headaches, especially right after waking up
• Popping or clicking sound in the jaws when you move it
• Falling asleep during the day
• Fatigue and lethargy
• Insomnia
• Reduced tolerance levels and sex drive

What exactly are sleep apnea and bruxism?

Sleep apnea is a sleep-respiratory disorder, where the patient would experience frequent pauses in breathing while asleep. Sometimes, they may be woken up feeling traumatized due to the complete inability to breathe. This can be caused due to the collapse of the tissues from the roof of the throat or the malfunction of the brain to signal the lungs to inhale on time.

Bruxism is also a sleep disorder where the patient clenches their jaw and grinds their teeth while asleep. It can lead to symptoms such as severe pain in the jaws while moving them, inability to bite or chew food, as usual, swelling of the TMJ and surrounding tissues, etc.

How can sleep devices be used to treat them?

MAD: MAD or Mandibular Advancement Device is a customized appliance made from dental-grade plastic. It is used to bring the lower jaw forward and expand the airway’s opening. MAD also prevents the collapse of the tissues from the throat’s roof, thereby keeping the airway open while you’re asleep.

CPAP: CPAP or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure is an advanced method of treating sleep apnea. It consists of a face mask that has to be placed on the mouth and nose, which would be connected to a supply of pressurized oxygen. When the patient wears the CPAP and goes to bed, it would maintain a positive airway pressure, which keeps the airway open at all times and also provides the ideal supply of oxygen to the lungs.

Night-time bruxism guard: A bruxism guard is a customized oral appliance that prevents contact between teeth from either jaw, thereby avoiding excessive wear of the teeth. It also reduces the pressure applied on the TMJ, thereby keeping it functioning as usual.

You may schedule a consultation with our team of dental experts by calling us at 480.946.4500 or reaching us through an online query. We’re always happy to help.