TMJ, Sleep Apnea, and Snoring Treatment

Do you grind your teeth and frequently start your day with headaches or jaw pain? Does your partner's loud snoring keep you awake at night?

Do you wonder what these two issues have in common?

The answer is that our experienced Circleville, OH dentists offer solutions to relieve jaw pain—often associated with TMJ—and help you and your partner get a good night’s sleep again.

Teeth Grinding and TMJ Pain Relief

If you grind your teeth, you may not even realize it. Many people clench and grind their teeth during sleep. When they wake up with pain in their jaw, they often don’t understand why.

Everyone grinds their teeth occasionally, and it usually occurs during stressful moments. But chronic teeth grinding or bruxism, especially during sleep, is a destructive habit that causes pain and puts your oral health at risk. The result is broken teeth, worn-down teeth, and problems with your jaw joint (TMJ). 

At Ely, Dubos & Stewart General Dentistry, the solution for teeth grinding is a device that looks like a sports mouthguard. Also called a nightguard or splint, our dentists customize the appliance, so it slips comfortably over your teeth. Worn during sleep, it prevents your upper and lower teeth from coming into direct contact. This takes the pressure off your jaw joint, so it can rest and helps protect your teeth from cracking or breaking.

Many cases of teeth grinding occur during sleep, but awake bruxism means you also grind your teeth throughout the day. Our custom day splints fit over your teeth in the same way as a night guard, but they are smaller and less noticeable and won't interfere with your speech

Relief for Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Loud snoring that disrupts your or your partner’s sleep may be a sign of a bigger problem called sleep apnea. When you lay down to sleep, your tongue naturally relaxes and falls back toward your throat. In some cases, this movement completely blocks the airway and makes it difficult or impossible to breathe freely. The result is often loud snoring, snorting, or gasping sounds and fitful sleep, which may indicate sleep apnea.

Snoring is annoying and disruptive, but sleep apnea can be life-threatening. When you can’t breathe, your body suffers from a lack of oxygen, which can lead to high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, and even heart attacks.

Our experienced Circleville, OH dentists use specialized devices that move your jaw slightly forward to keep the airway open while you sleep. This allows sleep apnea sufferers to breathe freely and get a restful night’s sleep and also helps reduce snoring.

Relief for TMJ Pain, Snoring, and Sleep Apnea

Teeth grinding, TMJ pain, snoring, and sleep apnea are all conditions that can take a toll on your oral health and your general health and well-being. At Ely, Dubos & Stewart, we offer state-of-the-art relief for both and will customize your treatment according to your unique needs.

Please call our Circleville, OH dental office to schedule an appointment so we can help.