Airway Orthodontics for Healthy and Easier Breathing
Understanding Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB)
OSA occurs when the muscles in the throat, such as the tongue and soft palate, temporarily relax and block the airway, causing repeated interruptions to breathing during sleep. These disruptions can lower blood oxygen levels, trigger the release of stress hormones, and lead to increased heart rate and blood pressure.
Although these episodes may not fully wake you, they can cause snoring, choking, or gasping multiple times per hour throughout the night. This prevents the body from reaching deep, restful sleep and can lead to chronic exhaustion, irritability, headaches, anxiety, and other health issues.
For children, OSA can contribute to poor academic performance, behavioral challenges, and learning difficulties. Long-term, untreated OSA is linked to conditions such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and a suppressed immune response.
Common Symptoms of OSA and SDB
- Snoring
- Pauses in breathing
- Mouth breathing
- Short attention span, hyperactivity, or ADD/ADHD
- Restless sleep or daytime drowsiness
- Snorting, coughing, or choking during sleep
- Nighttime sweating or bed-wetting
- Poor weight gain
- Sleep terrors
- Behavioral or learning difficulties
Causes of OSA and SDB
- Obstructive tissues: Enlarged tonsils or adenoids
- Narrow jaws or small tongue space: Insufficient room for the tongue due to jaw positioning
- Obesity: A common cause of OSA in adults
Treatment Options for OSA and SDB
- Tissue removal: Enlarged tonsils and adenoids may be removed to allow for improved nasal breathing.
- Growth-focused orthodontics: Jaw expansion or advancement techniques can maximize skeletal growth potential, increase airway volume, and provide more space for the tongue.
When to Seek Treatment
Prompt assessment and intervention are essential! Growth modification techniques are most effective when started around ages 6 or 7, helping to address airway concerns during key developmental stages.