Education

You should be evaluated by a trained professional if you meet one of the following OR your results to the Epworth test below are 6 or greater.
1. You do not wake feeling refreshed and rested.
2. You often experience morning headaches.
3. You or your sleep partner identify that you choke, gasp or stop breathing during sleep.

Epworth Scoring:
0 = no chance of dozing
1 = slight chance of dozing
2 = moderate chance of dozing
3 = high chance of dozing

Epworth Test
Situation / Chance of Dozing (score 0-3)

1. Sitting and reading =
2. Watching TV =

IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS AFFECT YOUR DAILY LIFE OR YOU ARE TAKING REGULAR PAIN MEDICATION OR SLEEPING AIDS, YOU MAY BE SUFFERING FROM TMD AND SHOULD BE EVALUATED BY A DENTIST TRAINED IN DIAGNOSING AND TREATING THESE DISORDERS.

Sleep disorders in children are conditions that prevent them from getting a full night’s rest on a regular basis. There are many children who, at some time(s), experience problems sleeping. The National Institutes of Health identify more than 100 disorders of sleeping and waking. Many of these issues are normal and may not be classified as a sleep disorder but proper diagnosis is required because an undiagnosed condition of obstructive sleep apnea can not only increase in severity as the child ages, it can become life threatening.

The term "sleep disordered breathing" (SDB) refers to a full range of breathing problems that result from an insufficient amount of air that reaches the lungs (i.e., hypopnea and apnea). It is estimated that one-third of the U.S. population suffers from some type of sleep disorder. Approximately 40 million individuals are chronic sufferers, yet less than 10% have been diagnosed or sought treatment.

Signs and symptoms of TMJ disorder vary and can be very complex to identify. Often the symptoms will involve more than one of the numerous TMJ components: muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, bones & connective tissue.

People with TMJ problems generally experience one or more of the following symptoms:

• Chronic recurring headaches
• Clicking, popping or grating sound in the jaw joints
• Earaches, congestion or ringing ears
• Limited jaw opening or locking
• Dizziness
• Pain when chewing
• Neck and/or throat pain

TMJ is the shortened name for the temporomandibular joint. The letters in TMJ actually represent the first letters of the three anatomic parts of the head:

T = Temporal bone (skull)
M = Mandible (lower jawbone)
J = Joint (connects two bones, T and M)

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is one of the most important joints in the body;

The best way to diagnose OSA (or any sleep disorder) is to catch them when they are happening. That is why there are essentially two alternatives for diagnosing them: in a sleep lab or at home.

Sleep apnea, known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), is more common in the U.S. than asthma or diabetes. Generally, the disorder strikes men more often than women and it progressively worsens with age and increased weight. Basically, during sleep, relaxed muscle activity leads to a closing of the throat and airway, which forces sufferers to take in a deep breath of air and awakens them. This cycle repeats throughout the night, preventing the individual from getting a restful, deep sleep.

Clinical signs and symptoms of OSA include:

Prevalence of Sleep Disorders It is estimated that one-third of the U.S. population suffers from sleep disorders. Approximately 40 million individuals are chronic sufferers, yet less than 10% have been diagnosed or sought treatment.

This imaging technology provides x-rays of the head and neck as well as complex motions and elliptical slices of the head. These images are much more comprehensive than typical dental and cranial x-rays and are useful in determining the precise source of a TMJ problem.