Bruxism & Sleep Apnea Treatment

Here at Dr. Graham's Dental Wellness Center, we care about more than just your teeth. We care about you as a person and your overall health. If you find that you are grinding or clenching your teeth, or if you are snoring extremely loudly or waking up frequently in the night, Dr. Adriane Graham may be able to help. At our practice, we proudly offer bruxism and sleep apnea treatment in Inglewood, California, to help you overcome these damaging conditions and improve your overall quality of life. As part of your treatment, we will have you take an at-home bruxism sleep test with our unique bruxism/sleep test. The results from your home test can be reviewed and analyzed by a certified sleep specialist. An official report can then be generated to be taken to your physician for further review. To set up your appointment with our dentist, give us a call at 310-742-6088.

Bruxism

Bruxism is the condition of grinding or clenching your teeth, particularly at night and during sleep. Bruxism is a leading cause of tooth damage today; however, it often goes unnoticed or misdiagnosed because it is often one of several reasons why teeth wear down.

If bruxism is left untreated, it can lead to several oral health issues that can damage the appearance and health of your smile. It can also affect your quality of life and overall health with symptoms such as:

  • Worn, chipped or broken teeth
  • Broken or damaged oral appliances, such as dentures
  • Frequent headaches or migraines
  • Ringing ears or earaches
  • Sore jaw muscles and joints
  • Tight muscles in the shoulders, neck and head
  • Limited mobility and pain in the jaw muscles

For patients who discover that they have bruxism, our dentist can offer several possible treatments. Each treatment is designed to help prevent you from clenching or grinding your teeth, ultimately protecting your teeth and restoring your comfort. Treatments range from relaxation techniques to wearing oral appliances such as night guards. When you visit our practice, our dentist will examine your teeth and oral health to determine whether bruxism is the cause of your tooth wear, and to help you know which treatment is right for you. Once we can manage your bruxism, we will work with you on restoring any damaged teeth and improving the quality of your smile.

BRUXISM CAN BE RELATED TO OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a highly common yet serious condition. It is a condition where the airway becomes obstructed while sleeping, resulting in frequent pauses or interruptions in your breathing. The airway can become blocked either by the tongue rolling back into the throat or by a piece of collapsed tissue. If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to several health issues, including heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure.

If it is suspected that you may be a bruxer and/or have sleep apnea, a take-home bruxism/sleep test will be recommended. Once the take-home test is completed, your preliminary data will be downloaded and discussed with you. Further analyzation and interpretation of your preliminary data will then be offered to you, and a certified medical sleep specialist will write an offical sleep report that you can take to your primary physician for official diagnosis. An official bruxism report can also be written for you. By talking to your primary care physician and your dentist, a personalized treatment plan can be created that offers more comfort and patient compliance.

If you experience any of the following symptoms of sleep apnea, we encourage you to come by our office and talk with our dentist about getting your at-home sleep apnea test:

  • Extreme daytime drowsiness
  • Changes in personality or irritability
  • Inability or difficulty to stay asleep at night
  • Loud snoring
  • Waking up with a sore or dry throat
  • Morning headaches

Depending on the severity of your condition, our dentist may be able to provide you with the treatment you need. Some sleep apnea can be treated with an oral appliance that works to keep your airway open while you sleep. If you would like to learn more about our sleep apnea treatments, we invite you to contact our practice today and set up your consultation.