Airway Orthodontics for Better and Healthier Breathing
What is Airway Orthodontics?
At Advanced Orthodontics, we believe that orthodontics encompasses much more than just straightening teeth and creating a beautiful smile. It is fundamentally about supporting your overall health and well-being. This philosophy is particularly important when a child’s smile appears crowded or crooked, as it may indicate that the jaw is not developing properly.
Certain oral habits and jaw deformities can lead to serious conditions like Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB). Airway Orthodontics involves specialized treatment methods that focus on expanding the airway to help address OSA and SDB. By improving the airway, we aim to enhance your health and overall quality of life.
What Are Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB)?
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) occurs when the airway becomes sufficiently blocked during sleep, causing breathing to temporarily stop. This blockage triggers the release of cortisol, often referred to as the “fight or flight” or “survival” stress hormone. As a result, the heart rate increases, and muscles activate in an effort to resume breathing.
Although the person doesn’t fully wake up, their body is frequently pulled from deep, restorative sleep to “catch their breath.” This disruption occurs repeatedly throughout the night, leading to feelings of unrest.
Imagine running a race all night long—your body is constantly under stress. This chronic disruption not only results in exhaustion and irritability, but prolonged cortisol levels can also negatively impact your immune system, hormone production, insulin function, gastric acid production, memory retrieval, and various other bodily functions. Over time, these disturbances can have significant health consequences.
Symptoms
- Snoring
- Mouth breathing
- Enlarged tonsils or adenoids
- Facial and jaw deformities
- Restless sleep or daytime drowsiness
- Moodiness or irritability
- Short attention span or ADD/ADHD
- Bed-wetting
Causes
Common causes of OSA and SDB include:
- Obstructive tissues: Enlarged tonsils, adenoids, turbinate bones (in the nose), or a deviated septum
- Lack of room for the tongue: Narrow jaws, recessive upper and lower jaws, or tongue-tie
Treatment
At Advanced Orthodontics, we offer effective treatment options for OSA and SDB, including:
Growth-Oriented Orthodontics: This method focuses on expanding the jaw or advancing the upper and/or lower jaws to create more space for the tongue and open the airway. This approach avoids the need for tooth extractions and maximizes skeletal growth potential.
Reduction of Obstructive Tissues: In some cases, removing the tonsils and adenoids or addressing allergies through naturopathic methods can help open the airway and improve breathing. Research shows that combining both orthodontic treatment and the reduction of obstructive tissues yields the best results for patients.
When Should You Assess and Treat OSA & SDB?
The sooner you address OSA and SDB, the better the long-term health outcomes. Orthodontic correction is important around ages 7-8, but we often see children starting treatment at age 6 with a dentist’s referral and at age 7 according to AAO standards. We can help improve airway health and prevent more serious issues later in life.
If you suspect that OSA or SDB is affecting your sleep or the sleep of your child, don’t wait. Contact our office today for a complimentary consultation. We’re here to help you breathe easier and lead a healthier, more restful life.
