airway dentistry for kids
Children's Airway Dentistry | Twinsburg
As airway centric dentists, our doctors understand that how your child breathes impacts their oral and overall health. Nasal breathing is optimal breathing, so ensuring your child breathes through their nose (rather than through their mouth) lies at the heart of airway dentistry.
As an airway focused practice, gbpd includes an airway health assessment at your child’s dental check-ups and exams. Through a simple series of non-invasive observations and questions, our dentists can identify possible airway obstructions and sleep disordered breathing (SBD) issues in your child. If any concerns are present, Drs. Rachel, Laura, and Danielle can help you coordinate the right care to get your child on their way to nasal breathing for more restful sleep, fewer cavities, and better overall health!
Benefits of Airway Dentistry
Airway dentistry offers many benefits to patients, including
More Restful Sleep
Optimal Jaw Development
Fewer Cavities
Improved Speech & Swallow Function
Better Attention Span
Healthier Immune System
Improved Behavior
Less Picky Eating or Food Texture Issues
Signs Your Child Could Benefit from Airway Dentistry
Not all pediatric dentists are airway dentists. Airway centric dentists like those at Great Beginnings Pediatric Dentistry have additional training. This training helps them understand how your child’s mouth, jaw, and tongue structure impact how your child breathes, eats, sleeps, and grows. Of course, we believe all children benefit from an airway-focused approach to dentistry. Below, we cover some of the signs that indicate an airway assessment is needed for your child.
Signs of Airway Obstruction | Sleep Disordered Breathing
The most obvious signs that an airway assessment is a good idea for your child is that they snore and/or grind their teeth. Other signs, however, are less intuitive. For instance, the following items may also indicate your child has an airway obstruction and/or sleep disordered breathing:
- Snoring and/or teeth grinding
- Bed wetting at an older age
- Picky eating
- Drool-soaked pillow upon waking
- Slow, laborious eater
- Dry, cracked lips in the morning
- Frequent lip licking
- Restless Sleep
- Daytime sleepiness
- Poor attention at school
- Feeling anxious without clear cause
Of course, these symptoms could indicate other concerns, so a proper evaluation by a pediatric airway dentist is a must. Many other health professionals, unfortunately, miss the connection between oral health and overall growth and development in children. We encourage families to think of their pediatric dentist as their second pediatrician, rather than just a “tooth” doctor. Their advanced training in oral and airway growth and development provides additional insights to help your child breathe and grow optimally!
Causes of Airway Obstructions
Children’s airway obstructions and/or sleep disordered breathing can have many different causes. Some causes may be more temporary in nature, such as seasonal allergies, a cold, or the flu. Other causes are more permanent if not addressed. For instance, some common causes are tongue tie and lip tie, craniofacial abnormalities, and enlarged tonsils and adenoids. In fact, multiple issues may occur at the same time, complicating the diagnosis and treatment. Determining the cause of your child’s airway obstruction of SDB remains key to getting the best treatment possible, and an airway pediatric dentist ensure your get the comprehensive approach you need.
Airway Dentistry Treatments
The cause of your child’s airway obstruction or sleep disordered breathing will determine the best treatment. At Great Beginnings Pediatric Dentistry, we remain committed to trying minimally invasive treatment options first whenever advisable. Our doctors work with an extensive network of airway informed providers from multiple disciplines in the Cleveland area. Together, we create evidence-based plans to optimize your child’s oral health and nasal breathing. Treatment options for airway obstructions and SDB at gbpd include, but are not limited to, the following:
Airway Obstruction Treatments at Great Beginnings Pediatric Dentistry
- Laser Frenectomy
- Lip Taping
- Nasal Passage Clearing Education
- Orthodontic Referral
- Myofunctional Therapy Referral
- ENT Referral
- Lactation Consultant Referral
- Chiropractor or Bodyworker Referral
Airway Dentistry for Children Near Cleveland
The way your child breathes affects how they eat, sleep, and grow—it even plays a significant role in maintaining a healthy immune system. Indeed, airway health is overall health! Thus, if you see your child in several of the signs of an airway health concern above, an airway assessment for your child is advisable. Enjoy all the benefits airway dentistry has to offer your child by scheduling with Great Beginnings Pediatric Dentistry. We are conveniently located on the border of Solon and Twinsburg, for easy access from both Cleveland and Akron.
Airway Dentistry Twinsburg | Accepting New Patients
Drs. Rachel, Laura, and Danielle are accepting new pediatric dental and airway dentistry patients under the age of 17 years of age at their Twinsburg, Ohio office. Airway dentistry for children helps ensure your child’s airway health and oral health work optimally for your child’s overall health, growth, and development. Contact Great Beginnings Pediatric Dentistry today to schedule your child’s appointment.
