Oftentimes, we think of sleep apnea as being something that only affects men. Cardiologists, primary care docs, and other medical professionals often look for risk factors for sleep apnea in people that meet a certain set of physical attributes (including gender). While it’s true that apnea is more prevalent in men than women, the difference in gender prevalence of sleep apnea starts to become closer together when women go through menopause. Postmenopausal women are 3 times more likely to have moderate to severe sleep apnea than premenopausal women. Fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone le ..read more

Jaw popping is a prevalent and common condition. There are a number of reasons why a jaw may start popping- almost all of those reasons are trauma related. It can be a big trauma- like an accident (car accident, hit to the face, falling on your chin) or can be microtrauma (orthodontic treatment, clenching/grinding your teeth, chewing gum frequently). If you live with someone who has a jaw that pops or you yourself have a jaw that pops, you may have self-diagnosed that you have a TMJ-Disorder. I would answer you and say– not so fast. We have other joints that pop and make noise upon movement an ..read more

New American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine Diplomate, Dr. Sarah Humphreys, Treats Sleep Apnea, Snoring Nashville, TN September 15, 2022 –Local dentist Sarah Humphreys is helping Middle Tennessee residents get a more restful night’s sleep. Dr. Sarah Humphreys of Sleep & TMJ Co. was recently designated as a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine (ABDSM). The ABDSM is the leading national testing organization for dentists who treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnea with oral appliance therapy. Earning Diplomate status from the ABDSM is a unique honor that recognizes spec ..read more

By far the most common “TMJ” concern I see in my office is actually MUSCLE MYALGIA. So many times people come into the office thinking they have a problem with their joint when what they really have is muscle soreness. Unlike some of the other muscles in the body, it is IMPOSSIBLE to stop using the muscles in your head and neck that help you bring your teeth together. Every time you swallow, your teeth come together to make that happen. Every human swallows between 500-700 times a day. Each time, the jaw muscles contract. So NO MOVEMENT IS NOT POSSIBLE. However, a normal amount of function in ..read more

“TMJ” as I have discussed before can encompass a lot of different things. I am going to hit some of the highlights of the most common things I see in my practice that can fall under the diagnostic heading of “TMJ Disorder.” Disorders of the joint itself Disorders of the muscles in the head/neck Neuropathic Pain First things first- Disorders of the Joint Itself. There are a variety of things that can fall in this category. The most common disorder of the joint is an internal derangement or dislocation of the articular disc. In between the jaw bone (called the condyle) and the skull lies a car ..read more

I get this question a lot from patients that land in my office. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of dentists that want to and have a specific interest in treating jaw dysfunction, but many dentists have NO INTEREST! Do you want to know why? Me too! I think there are a lot of reasons, so consider this more of my opinion than actual fact- but to start with- dental education doesn’t often include a lot of learning in the field of jaw joints. Coming out of dental school (and I went to dental school with Dr. Okeson who literally wrote our book on TMJ), I had a basic knowledge of jaw anatomy and ..read more

One of the strangest things I have encountered as a dentist and as a human being are the things that people take personally. Especially when it is about their health and/or something they literally have NO CONTROL OVER. But, honestly, it happens every day in the general dental office- a patient gets personally offended by the hygienist or dentist suggesting that they might snore OR that they clench their teeth! The response is often “what, no I don’t?” or some other “I can’t believe you are suggesting I might do that” response. I still can’t figure out why. Even outside the office, suggesting ..read more

This is a true story, not one I made up for a blog post (I swear!) I am what people would refer to as a “light sleeper.” This wasn’t really an issue growing up because fortunately I had my own quiet, dark space to sleep. Then in 2008, I got married and haven’t slept well since! My husband is the opposite of me- he sleeps through anything- lights on, tv up, a freight train running through our room. I tolerated this for years before it was time for me to kick him out to our guest room. We both slept better- I wasn’t waking him up asking him to roll over to stop snoring, and he wasn’t in my room ..read more

In my first years as a practicing dentist, the only real tool I had in my tool belt for helping patients with “TMJ,” clenching their teeth or grinding was a good old fashioned “night guard.” If you have been to the dentist at regular intervals and are an adult, maybe it has been suggested to you at one point or another? Night guards are a great tool and have their place when given to the right patients. However, there are limitations to what it is able to do for management of pain and TMJ-disorders. A night guard will have a limited impact on popping/clicking, joint and muscle pain. And if you ..read more