Sleep Apnea/TMJ Treatment in Our Manhattan Dental Office

Only certain dentists specialize in sleep apnea and TMJ treatment and our top Manhattan dentist is one of them.  Fred Stange is trained to recognize the symptoms of both obstructive sleep apnea, and central sleep apnea and knows just what to do when it comes to the treatment.  He is also trained to deal with all of the different symptoms of TMJ and how to treat them.  Every patient's encounter with sleep apnea or TMJ is different and our top Manhattan dentist treats each case uniquely.

Sleep Apnea Treatment in Our Manhattan Dentistry

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder where your breathing is either shallow or interrupted while you sleep.  People with sleep apnea may stop breathing several times a night during sleep which interrupts the flow of oxygen to their brain.  There are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, and a mixture of both.  Usually, it is not the victim of sleep apnea that notices they might have it, but the partner of that person who hears them gasp for breath frequently during the night.

If sleep apnea goes untreated, you might be at risk of suffering from high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, irregular heart beats, heart attack, diabetes, depression, or ADHD.  However, both forms of sleep apnea—obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea—are treatable, so if you think you may be suffering from either, please call our office in New York City and set up an appointment to visit with the dentist, who specializes in dental sleep medicine.

TMJ Treatment in Our NYC Dental Office

TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorder) is when you have pain in the jaw and surrounding muscle and tissue, and limited jaw movement.  It is made up of a collection of different conditions that cause the aforementioned symptoms.  There are many symptoms of TMJ.  Most common is pain in the jaw joint and nearby areas.  Many also suffer from chronic headaches, clicking or popping of the jaw, and locking of the jaw among other things.  Not all causes of TMJ are known, but some contributing factors include clenching or grinding your teeth, injury to the jaw area, and genetic predisposition.

Visit the dentist if you think that you have TMJ to find out about possible treatments.  Most dentists will suggest eating soft food, applying heat, and avoiding extreme jaw movements to treat your TMJ.  You can also take over-the-counter pain killers to relieve some of your pain or get prescription pain killers from the dentist.  There are surgeries that can be performed to try and correct your TMJ, but they may or may not permanently help patients overcome the disorder.  When you visit our New York dental practice, the dentist can fit you for a bite plate (or night guard) to help stop you from grinding or clenching your teeth when you sleep (this could be affecting your TMJ.).