Conditions we help with
From snoring to sleep apnea to jaw pain: what each condition is, how to recognize it, and where it fits in your sleep journey.
Snoring
Snoring happens when relaxed tissue in the throat vibrates as you breathe. It is common, and it can keep a partner awake. It is also one of the most common signs of sleep apnea, so we screen for sleep apnea before treating snoring on its own.
A custom oral appliance that holds the jaw slightly forward often reduces snoring. About oral appliances.
Obstructive sleep apnea
In obstructive sleep apnea, the muscles of the throat and tongue relax during sleep and block the airway. Breathing stops until the brain wakes you enough to take a gasping breath, sometimes many times an hour. Most people do not remember waking, but they feel it the next day.
Common signs
- Waking up tired and foggy
- Daytime sleepiness and trouble concentrating
- Loud snoring, pauses in breathing, gasping
- Morning headaches, dry mouth or sore throat
- Night sweats, low sex drive
- High blood pressure
Who is at risk
Men are affected more often than women, and the risk rises with age. A higher BMI, diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma or chronic nasal congestion, a small jaw, large tonsils, and a family history all raise the risk (NHLBI: causes and risk factors (opens in a new tab)).
Why treatment matters
Untreated sleep apnea is linked to heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and drowsy-driving accidents.
Central and complex sleep apnea
In central sleep apnea, the brain does not send the signal to breathe. Complex sleep apnea combines central and obstructive sleep apnea. These are less common and need care from a sleep physician. If your screening suggests central sleep apnea, we will refer you for a full sleep lab study and work with your physician.
CPAP intolerance and CPAP alternatives
CPAP works well when it is used every night. Many people struggle with it: the mask, the noise, dry mouth, pressure on the face, or the hassle of traveling with it.
If you have a CPAP you cannot use, you still have options. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (opens in a new tab) supports oral appliances for people with severe sleep apnea who cannot tolerate CPAP, and as a first choice for mild to moderate sleep apnea. Bring what you know about your CPAP and your last sleep study to your first visit.
TMJ, jaw pain and grinding
Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ or TMD) is pain and inflammation in the joint that hinges your jaw. Signs include jaw pain, headaches, morning stiffness, clicking or popping, reduced opening, and shoulder or upper back pain. Grinding and clenching are common causes, and they often occur with sleep apnea.
Dr. Lynch's work centers on sleep and craniofacial pain. When you have jaw pain and sleep apnea, we fit and adjust your appliance gradually so it supports your jaw instead of straining it.
Commercial drivers
Long hours sitting, irregular sleep, meals on the road and stress all raise the risk of sleep apnea for CDL drivers. Fatigue, brain fog and morning headaches are easy to dismiss until they affect reaction time.
For drivers with mild to moderate sleep apnea, or who cannot use CPAP, an oral appliance is small, quiet, needs no electricity and is easy to take on the road. DOT medical examiners can refer drivers to us. Referral information.