Dentist's Claims re: Sleep Apnea, Snoring & Migranes

[jeepdoctor]

I met a dentist who claims that many cases of sleep apnea and migrane headache are caused by improper bite. He claims to have cured many folks with sleep apnea, snoring and migranes by adjusting their bites. I am looking for information and opinions on this. Comments?

[PLAF]

oddly i was told the same thing by a dentist who came in to the store that i manage.

i wrote it off as quackery because the guy seemed nuts to me.

however, if there is truth to this, i'd like to know more

[Snoredog]

My first question to that dentist would have been what Dental School did you attend?

Why does that matter?

I know one dental school that only accepts students into their program that scored in the top 5% (or higher) nationally during their undergraduate studies. So you won't even get into that school if you are outside the top 5. Next, they make sure you are a highly skilled dentist in the craft before you ever get to take the exam.

On the opposite end are some schools that teach you only what you need to know to pass the state board exams.

What that dentist is saying is accurate (within limits). However it is two fold, untreated OSA leads to hypoxia and that can lead to migraines. Migraines are also thought to be caused from bruxing and other complications it can present such as invisible fracturing of the teeth and the enormous stress it can place on the TMJ joint.

A dental devices such as the Mandibular Advancement device such as a TAP and others, that is what they do artificially and temporarily change your bite, they move the lower mandible down and out, this "opens" the back of the throat up so that it is much harder for it to be blocked by the tongue and/or tissue.

Some of the options are:

1. CPAP - simply pushes your tongue up and out of the back of the throat using air pressure, if your obstruction is from airway collapse like a flat firehose on the asphalt, the CPAP splint pressure inflates the airway making it nice and round like that firehose when under pressure. Just like your car tire when it is flat, CPAP inflates your airway. It also forces oxygen into your system even at the lowest pressures.

2. Dental Devices - they mainly work by moving your lower jaw forward, these devices not only move your jaw/mandible forward they move it down and forward. When you do that the tongue and mandible are both moved forward leaving a larger space at the back of the throat.

3. Surgery - While there are many surgery options the only ones shown to work successfullly are the MA (Mandibular Advancement) and GA (Genioglossis Advancement), sometimes both together. However, there are NO long term studies to show where these procedures are cures long term. Both drastic last resort type procedures. The newest is the tongue tether. Any way you look at it the tongue has a major role in the obstruction associated with OSA.

[Guest]

Bear in mind that Big Pharma has discovered Dentists. They are selling NUMEROUS bite guards to dentists and SWEARING they cure OSA. It's a phase. My dentist "bit" and tried to sell me one. I refused, and asked for JUST A BITE GUARD so he made me a piece of acrylic crap that hurts when I wear it, so I don't wear it. There's an unopened bill from him sitting on my desk....

Just ignore the dentist and don't buy his stupid bite guard. If you want to explore dental devices for OSA, earch for TAP on this forum.

Cheers,
Barbara

[ApNoob]

I met a dentist who claims that many cases of sleep apnea and migrane headache are caused by improper bite. He claims to have cured many folks with sleep apnea, snoring and migranes by adjusting their bites. I am looking for information and opinions on this. Comments?

Hmmm I wonder if he is using a sleep lab to determine his "success?" I bet not.

I think your dentist may be prevaricating. Grinding is believed to cause headaches in some people, though I don't know that it cause migranes, and mandibular devices can reduce some OSA, however the devices used to reduce grinding and OSA are not the same ones! And the anti OSA devices are not necessarily designed to give you a "proper" bite but to reposition your jaw while sleeping--most likely in an unnatural but therapeutic way.

[skits]

Curious about the dentist. I had a LOT of dental work done within the last year and often wondered if that didn't contribute to my apnea. Gave me less room in my mouth...not that I would get rid of the work, but wondered about it. My doc said the mouthpiece was very expensive and often insurance wouldn't cover it until you first tried the CPAP. Just thought I'd mention it.

[JZ]

Snoredog -- That was very cogent information. Thanks.

Just to add to the conversation, I have had a couple of dentists tell me that orthodontia done back in the day (mid to late 60s for me) was state of the art then, but very old school now.

I had a fairly pronounced overbite. The braces moved my front upper teeth back towards my front lower teeth. Today, they would at least to some extent move my lower teeth towards my uppers. I have a very small jaw, and when I think about it, my tongue seems a little too big for my mouth. I wonder if that contributed to my OSA.

I would love for my lower jaw to be more forward, but would not consider mandibular advancement surgery as my OSA seems to be adequately treated by cpap therapy.

Janna

[Perchancetodream]

I suspect that there are some cases of OSA that can be helped by dentistry.

My bite was corrected years ago but it didn't get prevent my migraines; menopause and ceasing HRT had more to do with that. And there is no way that changing my bite would increase my airway which is obstructed with scar tissue.

Whenever a medical practitioner, of any type, make broad sweeping claims about "cures," my reaction is the same as when someone says "trust me." If they were trustworthy they wouldn't need to ask for your trust.

It is always easiest to smile politely and then put the info in the file and forget folder. But it is smarter to do as you did, and post the info here for input.

Susan