What is Oral Appliance Therapy for TMJ?

Chances are you’ve heard the terms TMJ and TMD before but don’t understand what they mean. Dr. Colby Eckland from Redmond Smiles would like to remedy that here. The acronym TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint, of which you have two. These joints control your jaw movements. Healthy TMJs facilitate jaw mobility for talking, chewing, swallowing, etc. Problems with these joints can cause TMJ dysfunction or TMDs, resulting in jaw pain, difficulty chewing, headaches, earaches, and other irritating symptoms. TMDs can even impede your sleep by contributing to sleep apnea. Your Redmond, Washington, dentist offers oral appliances for TMJ to improve jaw functionality and restore quality sleep.

Oral Appliance Therapy: TMD Treatment and Dental Sleep Medicine 

Various factors can contribute to TMJ dysfunction and pain. These include jaw injuries, arthritis, a bad bite, poor jaw alignment, teeth grinding, and stress. When your upper and lower teeth don’t come together properly as they should, you develop bite problems. A bad bite can destabilize your jaw muscles and joints, causing tension, stress, and pain. Sleep apnea is when your airways become obstructed when you sleep, restricting your breathing. Improper jaw alignment can contribute to this condition, making it difficult to get quality sleep.  

Through oral appliance therapy, we can help you manage both of these conditions simultaneously. Oral appliance therapy consists of wearing a customized oral appliance on your teeth while you sleep to minimize TMD symptoms and keep your airways open for better breathing. A custom-fitted night guard will align your jaw properly while you sleep. This eases jaw tension and stress, reduces problems with teeth grinding, and keeps soft tissues from obstructing your airway passages so you can breathe more freely. 

The following are some of the main advantages of using oral appliance therapy for TMD and sleep apnea treatment:

• Comfort & Ease: Customized night guards fit comfortably and snugly over your teeth to reduce TMD discomfort and promote better sleep. These devices are easy to use, cost-effective, and portable enough to take when you travel, so you can benefit from their use anywhere you go. 
• Non-Invasive: Oral appliance therapy is a conservative, non-invasive treatment for managing TMD and sleep apnea symptoms that can benefit both young and old. 
• Improved Health & Sleep: Using an oral appliance for sleep apnea helps enhance sleep quality. Proper rest is essential to overall health and well-being. You’ll have more energy to function better during the day and be less agitated due to less fatigue.
• Less Pain & Discomfort: Oral appliance therapy can minimize the pain and discomfort of TMD symptoms and sleep deprivation to improve the quality of your life. 

Oral Appliance Therapy Near Me

If you suffer from TMD or sleep apnea, contact Dr. Colby Eckland from Redmond Smiles in Redmond, WA, to see if oral appliance therapy is a good fit for you. You can reach us at (425) 584-1192.

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