Sleep Apnoea & TMJ Treatment Brighton, Brisbane

There are three main kinds of sleep apnoea:

Obstructive. The most common form, it occurs when your throat muscles relax, causing a narrowing of your airway. Your brain, sensing that you cannot breathe, will wake you to reopen your airway. You may wake up to hundreds of times every night. It’s no wonder that you might feel exhausted all day!

Central. If your brain doesn’t send the right signals to the breathing muscles, you don’t breathe for short periods.

Complex. A combination of obstructive and central sleep apnoea occurs, which is also called treatment-emergent central sleep apnoea.

You might be wondering if you might have sleep apnoea or have a chance of developing it. Certain groups have a higher risk of sleep apnoea. It happens more often in males. It is commonly associated with high blood pressure and diabetes. Being overweight or obesity, snoring and excessive daytime tiredness may also mean that you have sleep apnoea.

It can be difficult to decide when you need to seek the help of a medical professional, particularly if you’ve suffered from a problem for a longer time. If you think you may have sleep apnoea, we recommend that you book an appointment immediately. Getting the proper treatment can mean that you finally get the good night’s sleep you’ve hoped for, relieve your symptoms of pain and fatigue and help you enjoy your everyday life more.

If you think that your life may be affected and require treatment for sleep apnoea, please discuss it with a member of our team at your appointment. We will speak to you about your concerns and let you know how you can proceed to get the attention you need.

The temporomandibular joint is complex, combining a hinge action and sliding motions. It is comprised of different bones and parts of bones that interact with one another. All are covered in cartilage and are separated by a small disk that keeps the movements smooth.

In short, there is a lot that can go wrong. TMJ disorders can be caused by any of the following circumstances:

• The disk eroding or moving out of its proper alignment
• Cartilage damage brought about by arthritis
• Impact damage to the joint, for example, after a car accident or sports injury

Often, however, the cause of the TMJ disorder is not clear. However, that does not prevent successful treatment by a TMJ dentist.

At this point, you are probably asking yourself, “Where is there a TMJ specialist near me, and what can he or she do about the condition?” The answer to the first part of the question is easy. At Brighton Dental Suite, we have successfully treated dozens of TMJ cases. The second part depends on one patient to another, so it is important to come in for a consultation to evaluate the options and agree on the most appropriate treatment plan.  

The dentist will examine the jaw during the consultation and listen to its motion. They will press on different areas to identify any painful or tender spots. It will most likely be necessary to take X-rays, and sometimes, a CT or MRI scan will be required. 

Treatment plans vary case by case. Sometimes, medication is necessary, including pain relief, anti-inflammatories or muscle relaxants. Other therapies supplementary to or instead of medication include oral splints, mouth guards and physiotherapy. Sometimes, counselling is appropriate to deal with contributory factors like jaw clenching, teeth grinding and fingernail biting. 

Surgical procedures are not usually necessary and are only considered in severe cases or as a last resort when other options have not worked. For example, a modified condylotomy involves surgery on the mandible, not the joint itself. It can be helpful when TMJ disorder causes extreme symptoms like severe pain or locking of the jaw.

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