CE dental courses - Courses for dentists - TMJ Course

The TMJ-Airway Link: What Every Dentist Should Know About Sleep Appliances

Course Overview

Sleep appliances are effective tools for managing snoring and sleep apnea. However, when TMJ instability is not identified before mandibular advancement, these appliances can create new clinical problems. Posterior open bites, shifting occlusion, AM aligner complications, joint discomfort, and unpredictable outcomes often develop because the joint was already unstable.

This webinar teaches dentists how TMJ health and airway function interact and why understanding this relationship is essential for screening, diagnosis, appliance selection, and long-term success. You will learn how mandibular advancement devices affect joint position and muscle patterns, how to recognize early signs of instability, and how to protect both the joint and the airway throughout treatment.

Real cases, clear frameworks, and step by step diagnostic protocols help clinicians determine when a sleep appliance will help and when it may worsen symptoms. The goal is simple: support airway improvement while maintaining joint stability.

What You’ll Learn:

1. Why do sleep appliances cause posterior open bites and what does this reveal about TMJ health

You will learn how mandibular advancement alters joint loading, how muscles adapt to new positions, and why posterior open bites often occur when the TMJ is already unstable. This section explains how to identify early indicators that predict bite changes before they appear.

2. How can dentists tell whether joint discomfort after a sleep appliance is an expected adaptation or a sign of true TMJ dysfunction

You will follow a structured evaluation that includes joint loading tests, muscle palpation, range-of-motion review, and functional bite assessment. You will learn to distinguish temporary muscle response from emerging instability.

3. What screening steps should dentists perform before recommending a sleep appliance

You will learn a simple and predictable screening sequence that evaluates airway risk factors, sleep quality indicators, TMJ stability, and functional movement patterns. This assessment helps prevent complications by identifying patients who may not tolerate mandibular advancement.

4. How do TMJ instability and airway restriction influence one another

The course explains the connection between mandibular posture, joint position, tongue behavior, airway space, and muscular compensation. You will learn how joint instability can worsen airway symptoms and how airway management can influence joint loading.

5. How should dentists manage bite changes, posterior open bites, and AM aligner complications

You will gain practical strategies for stabilizing the joint, guiding occlusion back into a functional position, and adjusting or redesigning AM aligners to support recovery. You will also learn when intervention is necessary and when monitoring is appropriate.

6. How do clinicians protect the TMJ while advancing the mandible for airway therapy

You will learn a stability focused workflow that combines joint assessment, gradual titration, muscular evaluation, and protective strategies that support both airway improvement and joint health.