What is Airway Orthodontics?
Airway Orthodontics uses orthodontic care to align and straighten teeth not only to improve appearance, but also to correct malocclusions that may effect jaw formation and proper bite configuration for a broadened airway. Some malocclusions are developed at very early ages by habits such as thumb sucking, mouth breathing and poor tongue positioning.
Studies indicate that facial and dental development can be significantly impacted by new treatments that provide proper nasal breathing, tongue position and closed lips. Additionally, jaw position has also been connected to snoring and sleep apnea which affect millions of people of all ages. Early airway treatment offers lifelong benefits for both dental and overall health, but older teens and adults can also experience the benefits of airway orthodontics.
Things to Watch For
- Tooth Alignment
- 65% of children have malocclusion (an incorrect bite) caused by irregular teeth.
- Breathing
- When breathing, is your child’s mouth generally open or closed?
- Does your child breathe through their mouth or their nose?
- Jaw Growth
- Does your child have an excessive overbite or underbite? Along with a deep bite, these issues may influence your child’s breathing and swallowing.
- Swallowing
- When you child swallows, does their chin purse or their lips move?
- Does your child frequently choke or gag?
- Oral Habits
- Cheek or lip biting
- Grinding/Clenching of the teeth
- Thumb, finger or pacifier sucking
Airway Orthodontic Treatment
At Embrace Orthodontics, we primarily focus on maxillary expansion using Damon® appliances to broaden the oral cavity and expand airflow and reduce the need for extracting teeth, which can also collapse the airway. We also use facemasks in young children to pull their maxilla forward orthopedically to make more room in the nasopharynx.
For older patients, we offer MARPE and SARPE for maxillary expansion and work closely with the best surgeons in the area to perform Orthognathic surgery to protract the maxilla and mandible to make more room for the airway. Using archwire expansion as a means to remodel the alveolar bone in pre-adolescent or young patients can help avoid taking teeth extractions.
