All posts by Chase Edwards

How To Camp With Sleep Apnea (CPAP)

Camping with Sleep ApneaEven among compliant users, CPAP can be inconvenient for frequent business travelers, vacations such as cruises, camping, hunting or fishing trips, backpacking, to name a few.

Patients that want to use CPAP for camping or other travels where electricity is unavailable have to carry a power source in addition to the CPAP machine. The inconvenience may cause them to leave it at home and not treat their sleep apnea.  This increases the risk of medical complication if CPAP use is infrequent due to travel or choice.

 

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TMJ Jaw Clicking & Lock Jaw Explanation

TMJ Sleep Solutions in Colorado.

We had patients come in recently who have read and been told when their jaw started to click they should simply limit how wide they open their mouth so that it doesn’t click thinking that is healing for the joint.

That’s not true and wanted to offer a brief explanation why.

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Early Intervention Needed to Treat TMJ Disorder

Early detection and intervention of TMJ Disorder is needed for the best outcomes. Many people that suffer from TMD have been told that their symptoms aren’t worthy of treatment, that treatment will not help or may even cause worse problems. The truth is there are treatments to rehabilitate the temporomandibular joint, address pain and prevent future damage.

TMD, or Temporomandibular Disorder, describes a variety of symptoms that occur when the jaw joint (temporomandibular joint), the muscles of the face and neck, or the cartilage inside the TMJ is damaged.

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Children More Susceptible to TMJ Problems Than Adults

When it comes to problems with TMJ Disorder, it turns out that kids have problems at almost twice the rate of adults.

Nearly 1 of 4 children ages kindergarten to 5th grade, report TMJ/D symptoms a new study reports in the February 2016 journal of the American Dental Association. This study of children found that girls had about 4% higher incidence of symptoms surveyed than boys.

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Treating TMJ Disorder With Botox

There are instances where Botox can facilitate treatment for TMD. However, in some cases Botox can cover the underlying problem causing pain and hinder rehabilitation. Knowing when to use Botox is the most important question.

Can Botox Help with TMJ Disorder? Yes and No.puzzle-813302_1280

TMJ problems, or TMD, involve usually joint symptoms such as clicking, locking, dislocated cartilage, etc.

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Treat Sleep Apnea With CPAP or Oral Appliance?

There is mounting evidence that regardless of the way you decide to treat sleep apnea may not be as important as treating it all night and every night. Some patients are even using both CPAP and an oral appliance in order to get a full night of treatment.sunrise-795299_1280

CPAP VS Oral Appliance to treat Sleep Apnea: What’s in it for me? A longer, healthier life!

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TMJ Treatment: What To Expect

TMJ treatment is specific to the individual. However, there are some consistencies with the course of treatment that offer a good idea of the timeframe most patients will experience.

How long does TMJ treatment take?

The length of treatment depends on the condition we’re trying to help you with. Each treatment plan and orthotic are “one of a kind” to a person’s diagnosis and anatomy, however, there are generalizations. Just as orthodontics (braces) have a somewhat predictable course of treatment, so does TMJ/TMD treatment.

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TMJ Not Improving With Night Guard?

Some of our patients come to us and say, “I have a custom night guard but it’s not helping with my TMJ symptoms”. If you are wearing a night guard and your problem is not improving or worsening, it is probably because the appliance is not right for the situation.

I have patients that have had a night guard custom made by their general dentist in order to address morning jaw soreness, sensitive teeth, or excessive wear on their teeth. I am sometimes asked if I can use their existing night guard in my treatment of their TMD or TMJ problem. Unfortunately the answer is usually not.

Here’s why.

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Treat Sleep Apnea for Better Health

The interconnected relationship between Sleep Apnea, heart disease, stroke and gum disease is being cited more and more often. Treatment for Sleep Apnea and regular care of your teeth, mouth and gums are critical for overall health.

Scientific evidence and increasing peer-reviewed literature are piecing together the common links between periodontal disease (bleeding gums) and diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Bacteria found in gum disease are also routinely found in the plaques that narrow our arteries and thrombi ­– the clots causing strokes. The inflammation triggered by gum disease found throughout the body is one of the critical factors that start a cascade of conditions that can lead to these problems.

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Un-Silent Nights Due to Sleep Apnea

Are not so silent nights driving you nuts?night-913046_640

The annoyance factor of trying to sleep with a loud snorer pales in comparison to the potential health consequences of the person living with untreated Sleep Apnea; which include depression, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and an increased risk of stroke and heart attack.

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