Breathing & Airway Health
Airway health is complex. We screen for signs of breathing concerns and coordinate with trusted medical specialists when needed.
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The Orthodontic-Airway Connection
Airway health and sleep-disordered breathing are complex conditions with some known and many unknown causes. At Graf Orthodontics, we screen patients for sleep and breathing disorders.
If we notice signs that you or your child may suffer from airway issues, we will refer you to a trusted sleep physician. A true diagnosis of sleep apnea or sleep-disordered breathing can only come from a sleep physician through the gold-standard polysomnograph test.
Signs of Airway Restriction
In Children
- Chronic mouth breathing
- Snoring
- Restless sleep
- Bedwetting
- Difficulty focusing (ADHD-like symptoms)
- Crowded teeth
- Long-face and anterior open bite
In Adults
- Snoring
- Gasping/choking during sleep
- Daytime fatigue
- Morning headaches
- Difficulty breathing through nose
- High blood pressure
- Narrow smile
How Anatomy Can Affect Breathing
- Narrow Palate: A narrow upper jaw may be associated with reduced space for the tongue and nasal airway
- Recessed Lower Jaw: When the lower jaw is set back, tongue posture and airway space may be affected
- Small Jaws: Underdeveloped jaws can contribute to crowding and limited oral space
Orthodontic Solutions for Airway Issues
Palatal Expansion
At the discretion of your sleep physician, expansion may in some cases potentially alleviate obstruction to the nasal airway if your teeth would also benefit from expansion.
Lower Jaw Development
For selected growing patients, forward development of the lower jaw may be part of orthodontic treatment when the bite and growth pattern call for it - thus making more room for the tongue and airway.
Surgical Advancement for Sleep Disordered Breathing
In adult patients, advancing both the upper and lower jaws forward can make an instant and life-changing difference for those with constricted upper airways. Moving the jaws forward creates a dramatic increase in the airway space and patients often feel an instant improvement in their quality of life
Early Intervention
Early orthodontic evaluation can identify growth patterns, dental narrowing, or breathing signs that deserve monitoring or medical referral.
Our Collaborative Approach
Through a multidisciplinary approach, we aim to provide conservative, science-backed treatment solutions to patients who suffer from airway and breathing issues. Orthodontics is one piece of the larger medical picture.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends evaluation by age 7 to identify orthodontic growth and dental development issues early.