How Jaw Correction Improves Sleep Quality?
It’s not just your mattress or stress keeping you up at night—jaw misalignment could be the hidden culprit behind your sleepless nights. This calls for jaw correction. Surprisingly, jaw misalignment can disrupt your sleep more than you might think. Studies show that 51% of patients suffering from sleep apnea have misaligned jaws or Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders, a painful condition affecting the jaw joint. If this sleep apnea is not treated, it can lead to significant health problems, including a higher risk of heart attacks.
But imagine if adjusting the position of your jaw could be the key to helping you get a great night’s sleep. Yes, it is possible. Jaw realignment surgery can help you get rid of these sleeping problems.
In this blog, we will understand what jaw misalignment problems are. What are the symptoms, the connection between your sleep and retruded lower jaw, and how do they affect your life in the long term? We will also reveal what treatments are available for jaw correction and how jaw alignment adjustment can solve your poor sleep quality.
So, let’s begin!
What is Jaw Misalignment?
Normally, when you close your mouth, your upper front teeth should slightly cover your lower front teeth, and your upper molar cups should fit with lower molar grooves. When these normal conditions are not met, you have jaw misalignment.
The most common causes of jaw misalignment are injuries or trauma and congenital conditions that can be from birth or develop later in life. Injuries like accidents, falls, or sports injuries can cause Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders.
There can be many types of jaw misalignment, but the most common one that has a severe effect on sleep is retruded lower jaw or retrognathia. This condition is characterized by the lower jaw being set back from the upper jaw than it should be. This misalignment can cause poor quality of sleep by blocking the airway and leading to conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea.
Understanding Sleep Apnea and Its Relation with Retruded Lower Jaw
Sleep apnea is a severe condition that affects the breathing pattern during sleep and is defined by the frequent interruptions of breathing. These interruptions can range from seconds to minutes and are characterized by fragmented sleep, which leads to daytime drowsiness and increases the risk of other severe diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, anxiety, and depression. One of the main causes of sleep apnea is a retruded lower jaw, which is referred to as retrognathia.
A retruded lower jaw can cause many problems with the quality of your sleep because it affects the airway. When the lower jaw is set back, it may lead to the tongue falling back into the throat area. This misalignment can lead to several sleep-related issues:
- Airway Obstruction: The upper air tract may be partially or completely blocked when the tongue falls back. This leads to loud snoring at night and inadequate breathing as the airway is blocked.
- Reduced Oxygen Levels: The blockage in the airway reduces the amount of oxygen delivered to your lungs. This decrease in oxygen impacts your sleep quality.
- Sleep Disruptions: The blocked airway leads to inefficient breathing that may cause frequent awakenings during the night and interrupt the sleep-wake cycle.
Harmful or Long-Term Impact of Retruded Lower Jaw
If the retruded lower jaw is not treated on time, it may lead to serious and long-term effects disturbing not only your oral health but overall health, sleep, and lifestyle.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
It is a condition that involves the blocking of your airway during sleep, resulting in breathing pauses all through the night. Retruded lower jaw affects the position of the tongue while sleeping, which may result in OSA, snoring, and sleep disruption.
TMJ Disorders
TMJ Disorder involves pain or dysfunction in the jaw bone (TMJ). When people with retrognathia eat or speak, it puts extra stress on TMJ, increasing the risk of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders.
Day Time Fatigue & Cognitive Impairment
Not being able to sleep properly results in tiredness and sleepiness during the day. It also affects your ability to concentrate on your daily tasks, leading to more confusion and memory loss.
Risk Of Chronic Diseases
Sleep disorders and fatigue that persist for a long time are detrimental to your health since they lead to conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Also, low oxygen levels that are characteristic of a retruded lower jaw put pressure on the heart and can lead to heart attacks.
Psychosocial Effects
Persistent pain and not being able to eat, speak, and sleep properly may lead to irritability, anxiety, and even depression in your interpersonal interactions and in your life.
Knowing about Jaw Correction Treatments
Jaw correction involves treatments and procedures that are employed to solve the issue of misaligned jaws. It comprises both surgical and non-surgical procedures.
However, which treatment is better depends on the type and the degree of misalignment that you have.
Non-Surgical Treatment
Non-surgical treatments for a retruded lower jaw aim to address mild to moderate misalignment. Braces and clear aligners are used to correct the position of the teeth and the bite, which may help to reduce some of the problems associated with a retruded lower jaw. Fixed and removable appliances may also be applied to control the position of the jaw and teeth, fine-tune the alignment, and improve function.
Surgical Treatment
In cases of severe retrusion of the lower jaw, a jaw correction procedure called Mandibular Osteotomy is a key surgical option. This procedure involves the manipulation of the lower jaw to align it with the upper jaw in order to enhance both the functionality of the bite and the overall facial appearance.
How Jaw Correction Surgery Improves Sleep Quality
Jaw correction surgery cures sleep apnea, allows for a good night’s sleep, and enhances one’s health in numerous ways. Let’s see some of them:
Alleviates Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA):
Jaw correction surgery for a retruded jaw is useful in the treatment of OSA since it involves the realignment of the lower jaw to the right position in relation to the upper jaw. This realignment decreases the blockage of airways and increases the flow of air, thus ensuring that the patient has continuous, quality sleep.
Reduction in Nasal Congestion:
Problems with the jaws also affect the tongue and the oral cavity, which may result in breathing problems and nasal congestion. Jaw correction surgery can also help with nasal obstruction and increase the air that can flow through your nose at night.
Reduces Bruxism:
Bruxism is the grinding and clenching of teeth, is commonly associated with jaw misalignment, and can cause sleep interruption. Bruxism can be eliminated by correcting the alignment of the jaws with the help of Mandibular Osteotomy, and thus, the patient can have a sound sleep.
Relief from TMJ Pain:
TMJ disorders lead to chronic pain that may interfere with sleep. Jaw operation can correct the problem and eliminate or decrease the intensity of the TMJ pain, making eating, speaking, and sleeping more comfortable.
Indications for Jaw Correction Surgery
Your maxillofacial surgeon can accurately determine if you need jaw realignment surgery after a thorough examination. However, if you are experiencing the following symptoms, it may be a sign that you need it:
- Sleep Apnea
- Difficulty in Breathing
- Persistent headache
- Difficulty in chewing
- Loose teeth
- Teeth grinding
Things you should know before going for Jaw correction surgery
Before deciding on the surgery, you must consider the risk and potential involved in the process. Jaw operation is generally considered safe if performed by a well-qualified and skilled oral and maxillofacial surgeon. You will be given general anesthesia before surgery. The risks related to jaw correction surgeries are:
- Excessive bleeding
- Potential infections
- Nerve injury
- Jaw fracture
- Teeth damage
Surgery Preparation
A jaw correction surgery is done by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. You must make sure you choose one with expertise and sufficient experience or enough skills.
You can expect a consultation before surgery, during which you will have to discuss everything related to your mandible surgery. Your concerns related to your health, any medication you are taking currently, how long it will take, what the procedure is, the risks involved, etc.
Your doctor may instruct you to undergo X-rays, CT scans, or other required tests.
Don’s and Don’t after surgery
You must adhere to your doctor’s instructions strictly for quick recovery after the jaw operation. General things you must do include:
- Eat soft food and a liquid diet
- Maintain oral hygiene
- Use ice packs in case of pain and discomfort
- Attend follow-up appointment with your doctor
- Contact your surgeon in case of persistent pain or discomfort
Things that you must stop doing involve:
- Avoid hard and sticky food
- Don’t skip medications and regular appointments
- Don’t engage in any impact sports
- Avoid smoking and alcohol
Recovery time
The exact recovery time of jaw realignment surgery differs from person to person. In general, it takes 6 to 12 weeks before you can return to your normal routine. But if you are a student or a working professional, you can start going to school or the office after 10-14 days; you will experience some pain and swelling up to 3-4 weeks.
However, it may take up to 12 months for your jaw to completely heal.
Conclusion
Everyone deserves a peaceful night’s sleep and a refreshed morning start. But if you have retruded lower jaw, you know the struggle is real.
What comes naturally to everyone needs significant effort from you; breathing problems, teeth grinding, and persistent pain are your regular guests.
Remember, surgery needs a lot of consideration. Don’t hasten it; you must take enough time to research and find the most suitable oral and maxillofacial surgeon for your jaw operation and know the jawline surgery cost. The skill and expertise your surgeon possesses really affect the results.
One of the most suitable choices for jaw surgery clinics in Hyderabad is Gnathos Facial. Their highly qualified and skilled surgeon, use of the latest technology, and NABH accreditation make it the best facial surgery clinic in Hyderabad. Visit their website to learn more about how they can correct your jaw alignment and help you live confidently.