• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Subscribe to the Journal
  • Contact Us
Sleep Diagnosis and Therapy

Sleep Diagnosis and Therapy

Official Publication of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy

Kids and Orthodontics- What parents should know

August 8, 2012 by admin

Most parents have no idea what they’re getting involved with when they walk into the orthodontist’s office. They hope to give their children straight teeth and a beautiful smile.
They can end up with a lot more or much less .

Let’s start with the positive ,that is what’s possible . The best orthodontists today can do a lot more than just straighten teeth . To start , they can help normalize your child’s breathing for a lifetime by establishing ideal nasal breathing. In order to do this, enlarged tonsils and adenoids must be managed as well as habits such as mouth breathing, thumb sucking, pacifiers and tongue thrusts. The pediatric ENT and Oromyologist should be on the team. Without normal nasal breathing , growth and development will be adversely effected and an ideal result doomed. Many kids today have allergies which prevent nasal breathing. These allergies can be environmental or to foods like wheat and dairy.

Normal nasal breathing should be established at a very young age , younger than you think.. A recently published 6 year study on 11,000 children found that mouth breathing , snoring and apnea led to behavioral Issues like hyperactivity and aggressive behavior as well as anxiety and depression . Symptoms peeked at 30 months of age, which is a call for much earlier intervention than was once thought.

Once normal nasal breathing has been established and the tongue is positioned against the palate , orthodontic treatment can begin. With proper upper jaw development and palate widening the stage is set for a great result . Correct breathing and tongue posture are prerequisites for health and function in kids .

Questions should be answered about your child’s sleep quality and snoring, night terrors, bed wetting, bruxing, clenching , and sleep walking and talking . These are parasomnias or sleep disorders which can be associated with breathing restriction , airway resistance and sleep apnea. Specific orthodontic techniques combined with ENT procedures can correct these sleep disorders and prevent sleep apnea as adults. Children with behavioral problems and ADHD may be suffering from poor sleep quality related to their breathing , clenching and leg movements.

Many children also suffer from earaches, headaches and ear fullness. A well trained orthodontist will understand the relationship between the teeth, jaws , muscles and temporomandibular joints to head pain and ear symptoms.

So for the good news – the right orthodontist can help with the airway, sleep , growth and development, behavioral issues, school performance , ADHD as well as earache, headache and other TMJ complaints such as clicking and locking of the jaws . The bonus is that these kids will have the best looking faces in the world , the biggest smiles , most ideal profiles and ideal posture.

For more information contact aapmd.org or mgelb@gelbcenter.com

No related posts.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Home Sleep Testing, insomnia, sleep apnea, sleep disorders, sleep labs

Primary Sidebar

More to See

Snoring, American Sleep and Breathing Academy and the NY Times

August 23, 2022 By admin

Jazz Pharma Presents 17 New Posters for SLEEP 2022

June 6, 2022 By admin

Tags

apnea CPAP Health Home Sleep Home Sleep Testing insomnia narcolepsy obstructive sleep apnea Sleep sleep apnea sleep apnea symptoms sleep apnea syndrome sleep apnea treatment sleep appliances sleep buisness Sleep Business sleep center Sleep Centers sleep community sleep diagnosis sleep diagnostic sleep diagnostics sleep disease sleep disorder sleep disorder center sleep disordered breathing sleep disorders sleep heart health sleep industry sleeping Sleep Lab sleep labs sleep management sleep medicine sleep monitor sleep physicians sleep problems sleep studies sleep study sleep technologist sleep test sleep testing Technology therapy Treatment

Footer

About SleepDT

SleepDT Sleep Diagnosis and Therapy is a clinical Journal for allied Sleep Professionals, Neurologists, Psychiatrists, Pulmonologists, Primary Care Physicians, and other medical specialists. We also advocate on behalf of patient care in the field of Sleep Medicine

Recent

  • SUPPORT AND PROMOTE DENTAL SLEEP MEDICINE IN 2023!
  • Snoring, American Sleep and Breathing Academy and the NY Times
  • Jazz Pharma Presents 17 New Posters for SLEEP 2022
  • AJMC Hypes SLEEP 2022
  • Avadel Pharmaceuticals’ Stock Falls

NAVIGATION

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Subscribe to the Journal
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2023 · Sleep Diagnosis and Therapy