{"id":183,"date":"2022-09-01T18:28:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-01T18:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drljadam.com\/blog\/?p=183"},"modified":"2022-10-05T18:31:43","modified_gmt":"2022-10-05T18:31:43","slug":"connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-tmj-disorder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drljadam.com\/blog\/2022\/09\/connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-tmj-disorder\/","title":{"rendered":"The Curious Connection Between Sleep Apnea and TMJ Disorders"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drljadam.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/woman-sleeping3-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Woman struggling to sleep because of her sleep apnea and TMJ pain.\" class=\"wp-image-184\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.drljadam.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/woman-sleeping3-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.drljadam.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/woman-sleeping3.jpg 416w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every night, millions of people miss out on countless hours of sleep because of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drljadam.com\/what-is-sleep-apnea.html\">sleep apnea<\/a>; and even worse, many more cases go completely undiagnosed! That said, sleep apnea is a pretty widespread problem\u2014but did you know that it can affect more than just the quality of your rest? In fact, sleep apnea has actually been closely linked to TMJ disorders (TMD) and issues that can cause jaw pain. Keep reading to learn more about this connection and some ways that you can address both sides of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Link Between Sleep Apnea and TMJ Disorders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To better understand the connection between these conditions, it\u2019s best to know how each affects your body, respectively. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common form of sleep apnea, and it\u2019s characterized by the blockage of the airway during sleep. This causes your body to stop breathing periodically throughout the night. When this happens, you must partially wake up to restore your breathing patterns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the other hand, TMJ disorders affect the temporomandibular joints, which are responsible for connecting your jaw to your skull and enabling an impressive range of motion. TMJ disorders often include pain (both jaw pain and headaches), clicking or popping sounds, and sore facial muscles. Bruxism (grinding and clenching your teeth) can also make this condition worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These two conditions share a very interesting connection; in fact, one study found that about 43% of people with TMD also have problems with sleeping. When the airway collapses as it does with OSA, the body\u2019s automatic response is to push the lower jaw forward to open up the airway. This constant motion throughout the night can cause a lot of stress and tension in the jaw joints. Additionally, it\u2019s possible for the jaw\u2019s physical position to be misaligned, which prevents your airway from staying fully open while you\u2019re asleep. Given how connected your airway is to the position of your jaw, the connection between sleep apnea and TMD is quite evident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Addressing Sleep Apnea and TMJ Disorders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fortunately, this close connection also means that both conditions can be addressed through similar means. Oral appliance therapy can be effectively used to treat both conditions; custom-fitted devices are worn at night that work to reposition the lower jaw so that your airway remains open. This will lessen the need for your body to wake up to restore breathing, and it also greatly reduces the strain on your TMJ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additionally, taking steps to manage one condition will ultimately assist with the other. That said, some other possible treatments for TMD outside of oral appliance therapy include medication such as muscle relaxers or anti-inflammatories, massages and stretching exercises, and more. And as far as managing sleep apnea goes, CPAP machines, nightguards, and even eliminating external sources of sleep disruption can all prove useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sleep apnea isn\u2019t something you have to live with; and given the serious consequences it can lead to, it\u2019s in your best interest to seek treatment. That said, managing your TMJ disorder can also play an integral role in getting quality sleep again. If you\u2019re curious about receiving treatment for your sleep apnea and TMJ disorder, don\u2019t hesitate to speak with your dentist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr. Lawrence J. Adam has proudly served patients and families in the Worthington, PA area for over 15 years. Dr. Adam received his dental doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine and is an active member of several professional organizations including the American Dental Association and the renowned Academy of General Dentistry. His practice is pleased to offer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drljadam.com\/sleep-apnea-therapy.html\">sleep apnea therapy<\/a>. If you have any questions about sleep apnea or would like to schedule a visit, you can contact Dr. Adam through his practice\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drljadam.com\/contact.html\">website<\/a> or over the phone: (724) 297-3446.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every night, millions of people miss out on countless hours of sleep because of sleep apnea; and even worse, many more cases go completely undiagnosed! That said, sleep apnea is a pretty widespread problem\u2014but did you know that it can affect more than just the quality of your rest? In fact, sleep apnea has actually [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-183","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Sleep Apnea And TMJ Disorder | Adam Associates Family Dental<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Did you know that your sleep apnea might be causing your TMJ pain? Here\u2019s more about how these two conditions are closely linked.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.drljadam.com\/blog\/2022\/09\/connection-between-sleep-apnea-and-tmj-disorder\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Sleep Apnea And TMJ Disorder | Adam Associates Family Dental\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Did you know that your sleep apnea might be causing your TMJ pain? 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