TMJ, Sleep Apnoea and Snoring Appliances in Mooloolah, QLD

If you have jaw pain or a sleep disorder, such as snoring or sleep apnoea, your Mooloolah dentists can design a custom oral appliance to relieve pain and headaches and help you get a better night of sleep.

tmj treatment mooloolah qldTemporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ or TMD)

Jaw pain makes it difficult to chew and can cause chronic headaches associated with tense muscles. While the cause of TMD is uncertain, research often links it to malocclusion (misaligned teeth), arthritis, stress, trauma and even hormonal changes in the body. Ideally, we treat the underlying oral health issues by balancing the bite and aligning teeth.

You might also notice some of the following TMD symptoms:

  • Clicking, popping or locking jaw joints
  • Painful or sensitive teeth
  • Cracked, chipped or fractured teeth
  • Shortened or worn teeth
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Muscle inflammation
  • Facial tension

Bruxism, or teeth grinding and clenching, is associated with both sleep apnoea and jaw disorders. Our dentists design custom nightguards to protect teeth from excessive force caused by nighttime teeth grinding. Your nightguard can also help painful jaw muscles relax.

sleep apnoea treatment mooloolah qldTreatment for Sleep Apnoea and Snoring

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a sleep disorder caused by tissue and pressure closing the airway as muscles relax during sleep. Often, loud snoring accompanies OSA and can disrupt the sleep of your partner.

Research associates sleep apnoea with a number of serious health conditions.

  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Hypertension
  • Obesity
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Daytime fatigue
  • Gastric reflux
  • Inability to concentrate

Because restorative sleep is necessary for the body’s day-to-day processes, it impacts nearly every system in the body. Lack of restful sleep also makes operating a vehicle more dangerous.

Diagnosis of sleep apnoea requires an evaluation from an experienced sleep practitioner, and the first line of treatment is usually CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) therapy. CPAP use requires patients to wear a facemask during sleep as a constant stream of air keeps the airway open.

As you can imagine, some patients find it difficult to adjust to wearing a mask, which reduces patient compliance.

If your sleep assessment and report indicates an oral appliance is the treatment of choice, we can design an oral appliance which will gently reposition the jaw and open the airway.

We Invite You to Contact Mooloolah Dental 

If you would like to learn more about how custom oral appliances improve oral health and overall health, contact us for an evaluation. We help patients from Mooloolah Valley, Landsborough, Beerwah, Glasshouse Mountains, Sippy Downs and other neighbouring areas feel comfortable and enjoy a better night’s sleep.