Have you noticed your child struggling with breathing or airway issues? Ask how our orthodontists in BC can help identify the problem and offer treatment options.
What are Airway Issues?
Airway issues and breathing problems while your child is awake or asleep can be caused by blocked airways or developmental issues in the jaw.
Does your child have a problem with chronic mouth breathing, snoring or teeth grinding? Maybe you've noticed dark circles under their eyes even after they've gone to bed on time. These issues could point to blocked airways or problems with breathing due to airway constriction.
This can have a significant negative impact on their oral and overall health, from obstructive sleep apnea and daytime sleepiness to distractibility and behavioural issues. Long-term, individuals can suffer from memory problems, obesity, headaches and even a decreased lifespan.
If caught in childhood, airway issues can be addressed with early orthodontic treatment such as palatal expansion, potentially improving outcomes for oral and general physical health over your child's lifetime.
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Diagnosing and treating airway constriction and breathing issues can positively influence your child's oral and overall health today and over the long term. Treatment options may include palatal expansion to guide jaw development.
Symptoms of Airway Issues
If your child is suffering from airway constriction and breathing-related issues, you may see many symptoms such as:
- Snoring
- Irritability
- Bedwetting
- Choking or drooling
- Obesity
- Headaches
- Chronic mouthbreathing
- Slow growth
- Learning and behavioral disorders
- Teeth clenching or grinding
- Restlessness in bed
- Distractibility during the day
- Sleepiness or sluggishness
- Excessive sweating at night
How Airway Issues are Treated
Our team at My ORTHODONTIST can assess your child for airway issues by conducting a myofunctional orthodontic exam to look for common indications of blockages or constrictions, such as tonsils that are in an abnormal position, tongue tie, lip tie or an abnormally sized tongue.
With early orthodontic treatment, we can guide growth of the jaw and face, and intercept negative habits.
Our goals often include expansion of the palate and dental alveolar area. We may also need to create space for adult teeth to emerge and intercept potential negative development before it happens.