T M joint/TMJ, TMD & Sleep Clinic
What is a Temporo mandibular joint?
It is the hinge joint that connects our jaw to the skull. It causes the jaw to move in various directions like up and down, side to side to perform various functions like chewing, speaking etc.
What are Temporomandibular joint disorder?
Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) or T M Joint disorders is the name given to several problems with jaw movement and pain in and around the jaw joints and jaw muscles.
What causes the TMDs?
Any injury or trauma in or around the jaw area, undue pressure on the TMJoint resulting from clenching, grinding of teeth, any movement of the soft cushion or disc that lies between the ball and socket of joint, arthritis and other inflammatory diseases of the joint, stress on the muscles of the jaw.
What are the Symptoms?
Pain and discomfort during joint movements, clicking or grating noises in the jaw, jaw lock, pain in the facial and joint muscles, head, neck, shoulder, feeling of tiredness of the face, reduced mouth opening, trouble in chewing
What treatment is offered at Dr Bari Dental Clinic?
The interventions for joint disorder range from offering symptomatic relief by home remedial measures in mild cases to splint therapy and surgery in moderate to severe cases. For most people, surgery is not used to treat TMD.
At Dr. Bari Dental Clinic, we are expert at treating the TMDs conservatively by way of TMJ appliances that relieve the TMJ of Pain and functional problems
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea? How are Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea related?
Snoring is not only a frustrating thing for your spouse and family but a whole lot more than that. It is one of the indicators for a much serious problem called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) characterised by obstruction of the airway during sleep.
What causes OSA?
In this condition, during sleep, the tongue falls back, into the airway, partially blocking it. The partial obstruction causes vibration, resulting into snoring. If the tongue falls further back, it causes obstruction of the air passage resulting into obstructive sleep apnea. The resultant lack of oxygen to the brain and vital organs can have serious implications on the patient’s life.
Treatment for OSA:
While CPAP is the gold standard in the treatment of OSA, a number of patients find it difficult to use opting for alternatives. At Bari Dental Clinic, we provide a variety of appliances (Mandibular Advancement Devices) that place the lower jaw forward thus pulling the tongue off the airway and improving the airway patency