Every parent wants their child to grow healthy and strong. A crucial aspect of a child’s health is the development of their airway. Sometimes as a child grows, their airway doesn’t develop correctly, which can cause trouble with nursing, breathing, and eating.
Advanced Dentistry by Design offers Invisalign and airway services to treat young patients with airway troubles, so you and your kids can get a better night’s sleep.
Childhood Airway Development
Children and adults should breathe through their noses 99 percent of the time. This doesn’t always happen because of airway obstruction. The following are some ways an airway could be blocked:
- Relaxed throat tissue falls into the back of the throat during sleep.
- The tongue doesn’t have room to rest comfortably and falls into the back of the throat.
- The shape of the jaw impedes airflow.
- The throat has too much tissue to allow air to flow smoothly.
Sleep Apnea in Kids
If your child has airway development issues, they may suffer from sleep apnea. While your child is sleeping, check for these symptoms:
- Frequent snoring.
- Pauses in breathing followed by gasping.
- Night terrors.
- Wetting the bed.
Sleep apnea can be dangerous, and we want to help prevent any problems it could cause. If you are concerned your child has sleep apnea, please call Advanced Dental by Design now. We offer treatments that can clear your child’s airway and help them sleep easier.
Side-Effects of Airway Issues
Why is it important to treat sleep apnea? Sleep apnea can be detrimental to your child’s quality of sleep. Between the ages of 1 and 5, kids need between 11 and 14 hours of sleep every day. A lack of proper sleep can cause many issues in brain development, behavior, and overall health.
Airway treatments can help prevent serious physical and emotional conditions in your child. Sleep apnea is linked to many of the following conditions:
- Chronic headaches.
- Cottonmouth/sore throat.
- ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
- Mood swings.
- Heart conditions.
- Anxiety and depression.
Airway Assessments for Kids
At Advanced Dentistry by Design, your child can get an airway assessment by a dentist experienced in dentofacial orthopedics. These devices come in many varieties and help shape childrens’ airways as they develop to let air flow properly.
When you bring your child to see Dr. Woodlief, he will look for the following:
- How well the TMJ (temporomandibular joint) functions.
- The size and shape of your child’s mouth.
- Whether your child’s tongue can rest comfortably in their mouth.
- How the position of the teeth affects your child’s ability to breathe properly.
Once he’s made a diagnosis, Dr. Woodlief will prescribe treatment. Treatment will vary depending on the cause of your child’s sleep apnea.
Invisalign Airway Treatment
One treatment option that might work for your child is Invisalign treatment. Invisalign is a system of orthodontic aligners that gradually reposition teeth. Invisalign is commonly used by adults as braces, but we can also use it to reposition your child’s teeth and realign their bite.
Taking action early, before the mouth is fully developed can prevent the need for more orthodontic work in the future. Dr. Woodlief can gently kind your child’s mouth to the shape it needs to be for their optimal airway development.
Benefits of Invisalign for Kids:
- Better sleep | As your child’s teeth shift with Invisalign treatment, they will breathe easier at night and get better sleep. This will ultimately benefit their emotional and physical health.
- Easier time nursing and eating | Sometimes the shape of the child’s mouth can impact how well they can latch or manage food in their mouths. Invisalign can make meal times easier for everyone.
- More space for oral development | Invisalign treatment makes more room in a child’s mouth. In many cases, this makes the process of growing in teeth less complicated, eliminating the need for braces later.
- Emotional and physical wellbeing | Invisalign treatment can help your child sleep better, which will improve their mood, lessen the risk of behavioral problems, and help them avoid certain life-threating conditions.
Schedule an Assessment Today
Give your child the best airway for their health. Schedule with Dr. Woodlief, and he can treat childhood airway development issues, including sleep apnea. Make an appointment today!