At Spark Sleep Solutions, our San Jose sleep apnea doctor works with a wide range of patients to ensure they experience a good night’s sleep, including TMJ and TMD patients. TMJ is an acronym for the temporomandibular joint and TMD is an acronym for temporomandibular joint disorder, but often the two acronyms are used interchangeably. Temporomandibular joints are located on both sides of the face, just in front of the ears. These joints connect the lower jawbone to the skull and help with movements like speaking and chewing. TMJ disorders can cause a range of symptoms including pain which can result in an unrestful night’s sleep. Talk to our sleep apnea doctors in San Jose if you are suffering from a TMJ disorder.
Most Common Causes of TMJ Disorders
The following are the most common causes of TMJ disorders:
- An injury to the jaw joints or surrounding jaw tissues;
- Teeth grinding or clenching, also called bruxism;
- Arthritis of the TMJ;
- Stress or anxiety;
- Acute trauma;
- An improper or misaligned bite; and
- Dislocation of the disc between the ball and socket joint.
Symptoms of TMJ Disorder
Each individual case of a TMJ disorder or TMJ dysfunction can cause various symptoms. However, our San Jose sleep apnea doctor typically sees the following symptoms as the most common:
- General jaw pain and discomfort;
- Headaches;
- Earaches;
- Pain in the lower head, neck, and shoulders;
- Difficulty opening your mouth wide;
- Experiencing a clicking or popping sound in the jaw joint when opening and closing your mouth;
- Difficulting chewing;
- Ringing in the ears, also known as tinnitus;
- Jaws that “lock” when open or closed;
- General tooth pain;
- Changes in the way that your teeth fit together; and
- Swelling on one or both sides of your face.
Contact Spark Sleep Solutions for TMJ Disorder Treatments!
Spark Sleep Solutions can evaluate your TMJ disorder and create a customized treatment plan according to your symptoms. Our sleep apnea doctor in San Jose may recommend an oral device that is essentially a sleeping mouthpiece to alleviate your TMJ pain and discomfort. Contact Spark Sleep Solutions to schedule an appointment today! We hope to see you soon.