Airway Orthodontics in Farmington Hills, MI
Addressing Sleep Apnea for a Restful Night's Sleep
Airway orthodontics focuses on how the teeth, jaws, facial growth, and airway work together to support healthy breathing and long-term oral health. While orthodontics is often associated with straightening teeth, certain orthodontic treatments may also play a role in improving the airway for appropriately selected patients.
At Aspire Orthodontics, we take an airway-focused approach to orthodontic care. We evaluate how the teeth, jaws, facial growth, and airway work together and collaborate with your physician and other healthcare providers when appropriate. Orthodontics is not a replacement for the medical evaluation or treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, but it can be an important part of a comprehensive treatment plan for some patients.
Healthy Growth Starts with Healthy Breathing
Children who breathe primarily through their mouth, snore regularly, experience restless sleep, have enlarged tonsils or adenoids, or have a narrow upper jaw may benefit from an orthodontic evaluation. While these signs do not necessarily mean a child has sleep apnea, they may indicate airway concerns that deserve further evaluation.
Because children are still growing, orthodontic treatment may help guide jaw development and create space for healthy facial growth when appropriate. Depending on your child’s individual needs, treatment may include palatal expansion or other growth-guidance techniques as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
At Aspire Orthodontics, we frequently collaborate with pediatricians, ENTs, sleep physicians, and other healthcare providers to help ensure children receive coordinated, comprehensive care.
Supporting Airway Health in Adults
Adults with chronic snoring, obstructive sleep apnea, or concerns about their airway may also benefit from an orthodontic evaluation. In some adults, narrow jaws or skeletal constriction can contribute to airway limitations.
For appropriately selected patients, adult skeletal expansion, including MARPE or MSE, may be considered as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. We carefully evaluate each patient’s anatomy, goals, and medical history before determining whether orthodontic treatment may be beneficial.
Some adults may also benefit from other treatments, including CPAP therapy or oral appliance therapy prescribed by a qualified dental sleep medicine provider. When appropriate, we work closely with your sleep physician and other healthcare providers to help coordinate your care.
A Collaborative Approach
Airway and sleep-disordered breathing are complex conditions that often require a team approach. Our goal is to identify orthodontic factors that may contribute to breathing concerns while working collaboratively with your physician and other specialists to help provide the most appropriate care.
Dr. Jason Sherbel is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine and has advanced training in the relationship between orthodontics, airway development, and sleep-disordered breathing. This unique background allows Aspire Orthodontics to provide comprehensive, evidence-based orthodontic evaluations with airway health in mind.
Schedule an Airway Evaluation
Whether you’re concerned about your child’s growth and breathing or you’re an adult exploring orthodontic treatment as part of your overall airway health, we’re here to help.
We’ll perform a comprehensive evaluation, discuss our findings, answer your questions, and determine whether orthodontic treatment may play a role in your personalized treatment plan. When appropriate, we’ll also coordinate care with your physician and other healthcare providers to help ensure the best possible outcome.
Sleep Apnea Appliances in Farmington Hills, MI – Airway Orthodontics Near Me – Treat Sleep Apnea in Farmington Hills
