If you have sleep apnea, you’re more likely to develop a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). What’s more is that the opposite is true, too – if you have TMD, your symptoms can contribute to sleep apnea. Considering sleep apnea affects how well you breathe at night while TMD affects your jaw, you’re probably wondering how these two conditions are so closely related! Keep reading, because the connection might surprise you.
Connecting the Dots Between Sleep Apnea and TMD
Sleep apnea and TMD are both complicated conditions that can impact many different aspects of your health. But what makes them more likely to appear as a troublesome pair is that they share many of the same risk factors.
Sleep apnea is caused by an airway obstruction that becomes worse while lying in bed or sprawling on your couch. Basically, your body has a harder time breathing at rest. Often, airway obstruction is created by overrelaxed oral tissue and muscles. TMDs, meanwhile, can occur when the jaw is misaligned. This essentially puts excess strain on the temporomandibular joint and nearby muscles, often resulting in facial pain.
Now, sleep apnea doesn’t change how your jaw is positioned, but it can cause muscle tension, which is also capable of stressing the temporomandibular joint. When you experience an apnea episode, your brain panics because it’s not receiving enough oxygen. This can trigger a flight-or-fight response that forces your facial muscles to tighten. Over time, that tightness can build into tension and the chronic jaw pain TMD is infamous for.
Common Treatment Options
Since each case of sleep apnea and TMD is unique, finding the best treatment option for you will ultimately require a consultation with someone familiar with oral anatomy, like your dentist in Silver Springs. Depending on your situation, they may recommend one or more of the following solutions:
- An occlusal splint. This mouthguard-like device is worn over your teeth at night and can adjust your jaw’s position to relieve TMD symptoms.
- Equilibrations/occlusal adjustment. When jaw misalignment is caused by an uneven bite, slightly reshaping a few teeth can improve how your jaw sits at rest and release tension.
- BOTOX. Although it’s more commonly associated with cosmetic treatment, BOTOX injections do relax facial muscles and have been proven to temporarily treat TMD.
- Oral appliance therapy. Instead of wearing a CPAP for your sleep apnea, you could simply use a mouthguard-like device that will open up your airway.
TMD and sleep apnea might be complex conditions that can become intertwined, but with some help from your dentist, you can eliminate jaw pain and finally get a good night’s rest!
About the Practice
Our dental team at Exceptional Dentistry is uniquely qualified to address both your TMD and sleep apnea needs. Dr. Saba, for example, has spent decades receiving advanced training from institutions like the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies, and is a Vivos Integrated Provider. Instead of visiting two different specialists, contact our office at 301-460-3331 and schedule an appointment with one of our professionals. We’ll help you find the right solution for these complicated conditions!