Sleep and your jaw
For adults whose partner hears grinding, or who wake tired along with a sore jaw. We look at your teeth and bite. We do not diagnose or treat sleep apnea, which is a physician's work.
What happens
Usually one visit, and a second if a guard is made.
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Step 1: We ask
How you sleep, whether you snore, whether anyone has seen you stop breathing, and how you feel in the day.
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Step 2: We look
Your teeth for wear and chips, your gums, and how your jaw moves.
- 03
Step 3: A physician first, when it fits
If you snore loudly, wake gasping or are very sleepy in the day, Dr. Okada asks you to see your physician. A sleep test is ordered by a physician.
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Step 4: Then a guard, if it makes sense
With your physician's answer in hand, she can make a night guard for clenching and tell you if one isn't right yet.
We don't make appliances to treat sleep apnea.
Comfort, choices and care
Comfort
Nothing in this visit is numbed. Questions about your sleep can feel personal; answer what you are comfortable with.
Choices, and what if you wait
You can see your physician first, start with a guard, or do both. Waiting on a breathing problem is not something to do; waiting on a guard is your choice.
Risks and after-care
A night guard protects teeth. It is not a treatment for a breathing problem, and it should not stand in for seeing a physician about one.
How it is billed
The visit is billed like any exam, with a written estimate first if you are paying without insurance.
How fees work
Questions about sleep and your jaw
Do you test for sleep apnea?
No. A physician diagnoses it, often with a sleep test. We ask about it so we can tell you when to see one.
Can a night guard help my snoring?
A night guard is made for clenching and grinding. It is not a treatment for snoring or for sleep apnea.
My partner says I grind. Do I need a guard?
Not always. Dr. Okada looks at your teeth, tells you what she sees and lets you decide.
Provided by a general dentist
Dr. Haruko Okada, DDS, general dentist, licensed in Florida.