About Pain & Sleep
Do you struggle with falling asleep or getting a good night’s rest? If so, you aren’t alone. The majority of adults will experience some form of sleep trouble at least once in their lives. When these troubles occur chronically, they become cause for concern. For many adults, underlying pain is the root of their sleep troubles. For others, it comes down to breathing disorders that disrupt their sleeping patterns or even make sleeping dangerous. No matter why you are struggling to sleep, we have the treatments at our South Carolina practice that will help you.TREATMENT INFORMATION & SERVICES
Treatment Information and Services
Assistance with craniofacial pain — head and facial pain — primary headaches, TMJ pain, and sleep breathing disorders (snoring and sleep apnea)
Here at TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre of The Lowcountry, we help patients live better lives through innovative treatments that do not require surgery. Our team is adept at addressing the needs of patients of all ages, from children to older adults.</[> When we offer treatment, we do more than just manage symptoms. Our goal is to uncover the underlying cause of the problems and address it. With our help, you can live without pain and enjoy restful sleep on a nightly basis. The result of our approach is targeted treatment that insures we miss nothing. Individualized treatment plans are crafted for each patient, ensuring every person we help gets the care they need—nothing more and nothing less. From exercises to training devices to CPAP alternatives, we are confident we can offer the therapies you require.Services for Adult Patients
Comprehensive Evaluation for Primary and Secondary Diagnoses- Hard and soft tissue evaluation
- Range of motion evaluation
- Skeletal structure evaluation
- Oral airway evaluation
- Muscle, tendon, ligament palpations
- Directed Imaging / Radiographs
- Neurological testing
- Volumetric analysis of airway
- Orthopedic appliance therapy
- Nutritional counseling
- Physical medicine / laser therapy
Services for Children
Comprehensive Evaluation for Primary and Secondary Diagnoses- Hard and soft tissue evaluation
- Range of motion evaluation
- Skeletal structure evaluation
- Oral airway evaluation
- Muscle, tendon, ligament palpations
- Directed Imaging / Radiographs
- Neurological testing
- Volumetric analysis of airway
- Orthopedic Orthodontics
- Nutritional Counseling
- Physical medicine
SLEEP RELATED BREATHING DISORDER
Sleep Related Breathing Disorders
Sleep-related breathing disorders have a significant negative impact on quality of life. However, not everyone who suffers from these disorders realizes they have them. Many people think they just snore a lot or feel tired often without knowing why. It is important that people know the symptoms and get the treatment they need. Perhaps the most common sleep-related breathing disorder is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This is caused by something obstructing the airway during sleep, cutting off breathing. The usual site for this obstruction is the soft palate to the base of the tongue where there are no rigid structures to maintain an open airway. OSA is often thought of as an “adult” condition, but the truth is that anyone of any age can have sleep apnea—even infants. In some cases, OSA has been discovered to be the cause of behavioral and attention problems in children. Enlarged tonsils and small structural features of the maxilla/nose, mouth and throat may contribute to childhood OSA. OSA is not a condition that can be diagnosed or treated at home. Any signs that it is present should be taken seriously, as it is a potentially life-threatening disorder. At present, the primary method for diagnosing OSA is to have the patient undergo a sleep study, known as Polysomnography (PSG) or Home Sleep Test (HST). We are happy to assist our patients in coordination of any necessary sleep testing.Sleep Services
Here at TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre of The Lowcountry, we provide dental sleep medicine. This is the management of diagnosed sleep-related breathing disorders using oral appliance therapy in adult patients and orthopedic orthodontics for airway development and correct in child patients. Our doctors have undergone specialized training in this form of medicine.
Adults
- Sleep Apnea Symptoms for Adults
- Unexplained daytime sleepiness
- Restless sleep
- Loud snoring (with periods of silence followed by gasps)
- Morning headaches
- Insomnia
- Trouble concentrating
- Mood changes such as irritability, anxiety and depression
- Forgetfulness
- Increased heart rate and/or blood pressure
- Decreased sex drive
- Unexplained weight gain
- Changes in urination
- Frequent heartburn and heavy night sweats

Children
- Snoring
- Mouth breathing
- Restlessness during sleep
- Sleeping in odd positions
- Periods of not breathing
- Teeth grinding
- Night terrors
- Mood changes
- Poor concentration
- Bed wetting
- Headaches
- Frequent infections
craniofacial pain (tmd/tmj)
Craniofacial Pain (TMD/TMJ)
At TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre of The Lowcountry, we recognize how complex craniofacial pain can be. The way it presents is often unique to each patient, necessitating individualized care. A patient may have TMD, migraines, facial neuralgias, musculoskeletal pain, or a combination of any or all of the above. Of these, TMJ pain is the condition we see most frequently identified by patients, itself often causing other problems, such as migraines. Many factors can lead to the development of TMJ pain. In some cases, it occurs all on its own, but more often, it is part of a complex series of issues. Some factors that can lead to the development of TMJ are:- Car accidents
- Sports injuries
- Falls
- Clenching the teeth
- Grinding the teeth
Craniofacial Pain Services
Once a patient has been diagnosed with a condition causing their craniofacial pain, successful treatment is possible. We customize our therapies to the needs of the patient, offering different services for adults and children.
Adults
- Comprehensive diagnostics
- Non-surgical treatment plan for rehabilitation
- Decompression appliance therapy (short term wear of custom orthopedic oral orthotics not splints)
- Nutritional counseling
- Medication and supplement regimens
- Physical medicine treatment (Laser therapy, trigger points, prolo therapy, phonophoresis)
- Multi-discipline Referral Coordination
Adult Symptoms Indicating the Need for Treatment
- Headaches – recurring or chronic
- Earache or ear symptoms of stuffiness or ringing
- Neck Pain or Stiffness
- Facial Pain
- Jaw joint sounds – clicking, popping or grating
- Limited ability to open or close mouth
- Jaw locking (opened or closed)
- Sensitive, loose or worn down teeth
- Pain or soreness in the TM joints
- Dizziness or Pain or difficulty chewing or swallowing
- Pain behind the eyes
- Extreme sensitivity to light

Children
- Comprehensive diagnostics
- Non-surgical treatment plan for rehabilitation
- Orthopedic orthodontic development
- Nutritional counseling
- Supplement regimens
- Physical medicine treatment (Laser therapy, phonophoresis)
- Multi-discipline Referral Coordination
Pediatric Symptoms Indicating the Need for Treatment
- Headaches – recurring or chronic
- Earache or ear symptoms of stuffiness or ringing
- Neck Pain or Stiffness
- Facial Pain
- Jaw joint sounds – clicking, popping or grating
- Limited ability to open or close mouth
- Jaw locking (opened or closed)
- Sensitive, loose or worn down teeth
- Pain or soreness in the TM joints
- Dizziness or Pain or difficulty chewing or swallowing
- Extreme sensitivity to light
- ADHD
- Bed wetting
pediatric osa
Orthodontics/Orthopedics for Treatment of OSA
At TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre of The Lowcountry, we understand that crooked teeth can be more than just a mild orthodontic condition. In some cases, they indicate serious problems with dysfunctional breathing and improper tongue posture. Every child should be screened for Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) according to the American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines. Is Your Child at Risk for OSA? TAKE THE BEARS SCREENING TEST OSA can only be diagnosed by a medical doctor. Treatment can be handled by a dentist with specialized training in addressing sleep-related breathing disorders. However, they must understand the unique needs of pediatric patients, as adult OSA therapies can cause harm to children. Signs indicating a need for treatment include:- Snoring
- Mouth breathing
- Restlessness during sleep
- Sleeping in odd positions
- Periods of not breathing
- Night terrors
- Mood changes
- Poor concentration
- Bed Wetting
- Headaches
- Frequent infections
- Snoring
- Mouth breathing
- Restlessness during sleep
- Sleeping in odd positions
- Periods of not breathing
- Night terrors
- Mood changes
- Poor concentration
- Bed Wetting
- Headaches
- Frequent infections