Why Airway?
Airway centric pediatric dentistry focuses on the structure and function of a child’s developing jaw. Scores of articles and research have demonstrated that since the availability of mass-produced foods, which are softer and less nutrient rich, our facial muscles have become weaker, and our jaws narrower. Narrow jaws result in teeth crowding, misaligned bites, and most importantly, a far narrower airway. Narrow airways are directly related to mouth breathing and sleep breathing disorders.
Our airways have evolved from being the size of a garden hose to that of a straw. Narrow airways are directly related to mouth breathing and sleep & breathing related disorders.
*Before agriculture, human jaws were a perfect fit for human teeth, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-dawn-farming-changed-our-mouths-worst-180954167/ ), Smithsonian, February 6, 2015.
Sleep related disorders.
Sleep is a biological necessity, especially for rapidly growing children. If a child who has trouble breathing through their nose experiences interruptions in their sleep night after night, it leads to chronic fatigue, weakened immunity, behavioral challenges, and even deficits in brain development.
of children who suffer from sleep disordered breathing develop ADD, ADHD, and/or a learning disability.
Understanding Nasal Breathing: The Key to Evaluating and Treating Sleep Disordered Breathing in Adults and Children, Peter Catalano, MD, PACS, FARS, Professor of Otolaryngology Tufts University School of Medicine, and John Walker, DMD, Department of Orthodontics Boston University School of Graduate Dentistry, 2018.
According to a 2014 Psychology Today article, “depriving a person of sleep is a profound assault on the entire biological system at the foundation of that person’s mind and body.”
Helping children thrive during development begins with early screening.
Early screening and treatment when the jaw is still malleable is best. If the child requires treatment, we can use non-surgical solutions to guide the jaw and palate development for optimal nasal breathing. The happy side effect is having space for all your permanent teeth. Since crowded teeth is not a tooth problem it is a symptom of having small jaws. When we optimize jaw growth and development for airways, we are also making room for your child’s permanent teeth preventing longer more complex treatment that ultimately provide less health benefits.
Non-surgical treatments include expanders, appliances, Invisalign® or braces, as well as myofunctional and breathing therapies.
The key to airway pediatric dentistry is early screening and implementing treatment before the jaw is completely formed. Once the jaw is fused, generally around 16 years of age, the only way to expand is through surgical intervention.
How Treatment Works
1. Evaluate.
We will begin by compiling information about your child’s jaw growth and development using low-dose 3D imaging, detailed medical & dental history, information from collaborative care providers and family members in the child's life.
2. Improve structure.
Optimize jaw & airway development using non-surgical expanders and growth appliances.
Increase oral volume
Make room for the tongue
Create proper jaw size to allow the teeth to erupt without crowding
If needed, straighten teeth with braces and/or clear Invisalign.
3. Improve function.
Oral myofunctional therapy for improved muscular function (chewing, swallowing, tongue placement, etc.)
Screen for lip and tongue ties (in both infants and children).
Optimize systemic health by supporting nasal breathing, proper oral rest posture, restful sleep, proper nutrition, and reduction of inflammation.
Collaboration is a key aspect of the airway approach.
The healthcare field has been so siloed into individual medical specialties (ENT, allergy doctors, sleep doctors, eye doctors, and other specialists) that sometimes the bigger picture of the child’s overall health can be missed. We believe children deserve a more collaborative approach amongst doctors to properly diagnose and treat the WHOLE child.
We strive to work closely with pediatricians, allergists, ENTs, school counselors, speech therapists, family members - and whoever else can help us diagnose and treat the child. After all, we want what is in the best interest of the child. It takes forward thinking and even bravery to act outside the traditional medical system, but we know we are preparing our patients for a long, healthy life with less suffering.
We’re getting them “Good to Grow!”
