We often say that orthodontics are more complex than people initially think. They can extend far beyond teeth to other parts of the facial and oral anatomy. Ragan Orthodontics will be covering the topic of airway orthodontics today and answering many common questions about it.
What Are Airway Orthodontics?
This is a fairly niche area of orthodontics for a lot of readers, so let’s start by explaining exactly what airway orthodontics are:
- Airway orthodontics is a specialized area of orthodontics that focuses on the relationship between your teeth and jaw and how you’re able to breathe. Some people are born with airway abnormalities that make breathing difficult.
- They improve dental health and well-being by treating issues affecting the airway; our team is able to enhance both dental health and overall well-being.
- They address sleep-related breathing issues since they’re closely connected to troublesome conditions like sleep apnea and snoring. Airway orthodontics can help alleviate these symptoms by creating more room in the airway, allowing for easier breathing during sleep.
Do I Need Airway Orthodontics?
For conditions surrounding the airways, Dr. Ragan will take x-rays and use diagnostic tools to determine the source and severity of the issue, and how he can use orthodontics to help resolve it. The following might be clues that you or your child are a candidate for airway orthodontics:
- Sleep-Related Issues: Like we said, these problems tend to manifest most when you aren’t even aware of it during sleep. Conditions like obstructive sleep apnea, constant snoring (which is often observed by a partner or family member), or restless sleep could indicate that your airway is compromised in some way.
- Chronic Mouth Breathing: If you or your child primarily breathe through the mouth rather than the nose, airway orthodontics may be able to help. Mouth breathing is uncomfortable, but it can also lead to further health issues, such as dry mouth, subpar sleep, and improper jaw development in kids.
- Crowded Teeth or Misaligned Jaw: You may not realize it, but teeth crowding or an improper bite can be more than just a cosmetic issue. These problems might be signals of a restricted airway.
- Behavioral Symptoms in Children: Airway orthodontics may help children who show signs of hyperactivity, trouble focusing, or fatigue. In some instances, sleep disturbances caused by airway issues can manifest as behavioral problems.
Types of Airway Orthodontics
For this manner of treatment, there are a few approaches Dr. Ragan can choose from. This choice depends on various individual factors, like age and anatomy. This process is also often collaborative. Our office might work with specialists like ENTs or sleep specialists for comprehensive treatment.
Here are a few examples of airway orthodontics:
- Early Interceptive Orthodontics: For children, early treatment can include appliances such as expanders, spacers, or growth guidance appliances to tackle airway issues before they worsen. This treatment is beneficial in that it’s preventative and can set them up for better breathing throughout their life.
- Mandibular Advancement Devices: These appliances gently reposition the lower jaw forward, increasing the airway size. We use this for sleep apnea and snoring in children and adults on a regular basis.
- Palatal Expansion: Devices such as a rapid palatal expander (RPE) widen the upper jaw, creating more space for the tongue and nasal airflow. This appliance helps with crowding, improving breathing, and treating conditions like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
- Braces or Aligners: In some cases, straightening teeth and reducing issues of crowding improves the alignment of oral structures—and therefore enhances airway space. We may use this treatment on its own or in conjunction with others to resolve issues with the airway.
- Frenectomy: Some patients may need a minor surgical procedure called a frenectomy, which releases a restrictive lingual frenulum (also called a tongue-tie).
- Surgery: For more advanced conditions, Dr. Ragan might recommend jaw surgery. This is only necessary for cases when the other treatments listed are insufficient. Dr. Ragan will partner with you during this referral process.
- Ongoing Therapies and Lifestyle Changes: In combination with these methods, we might also recommend myofunctional therapy, which is a program of exercises targeting facial and tongue muscles to correct improper oral and swallowing habits. Allergy treatment or dietary adjustments can also factor into this holistic approach.
A Sigh of Relief
Airway obstructions can be highly debilitative when they aren’t addressed at all—and can be especially difficult in the sense that patients aren’t always conscious of them. Our team encourages you to reach out to our practice for a consultation if you have a suspicion that this manner of condition is affecting you. We look forward to seeing you in Park Cities or Preston Hollow soon!