Early Orthodontic Growth Modification
Orthodontic Correction
Dr. Karen is pleased to incorporate early orthodontic correction as a part of her Pediatric Dental Airway practice. Our focus is on the whole wellness and growth of your child!
As an Airway-Centric provider, Dr. Karen has niched her practice from infancy in breastfeeding, tethered oral structures and their influence on the growth of the upper and lower jaws. Dr. Karen is trained in Pediatric Dental Sleep/Sleep Disordered Breathing, Tethered Oral Structure Releases and Early Orthodontic Growth Modification.
What does this mean, Growth Modification?
A child’s maximum growth occurs before age 5 years. The facial skeleton and arches are at maximum influence to change. Many children with tethered lip and tongue also exhibit a high, narrow upper arches or limited forward growth of the upper arch. This comes from the low tongue posture, in utero, during development. As Dr. Karen always educates her families, the arches should come OUT of the cranial base for strong, forward growth of the upper and lower jaws.
The upper arch is also a part of the midface development: the cheekbones, the bony underside of the eye orbit and the nose.
Many families are experiencing signs of Sleep Disordered Breathing: snoring, grinding, neck extension, tossing about in the bed, frequent arousals out of the bed, ongoing bedwetting, open mouth sleep (and awake) postures.
All of these can involve the size of the adenoid and tonsillar tissues getting bigger with inflammation. By correcting the upper and lower jaw growth to influence the forward growth of the jaws, our airways are left more open to allow better nasal breathing and less mouth breathing. Upper jaw expansion with optimal tongue posture and lips sealed has lent to 25% reduction in tonsillar size, without surgery.
As Dr. Karen likes to educate her families, there are back of the throat soft tissue concerns that are evaluated by ENT colleagues, but the forward jaw growth may need appliances to better influence this growth and thereby create more space in the oropharynx. This combination of soft tissue (adenoids and tonsils) and hard tissue (upper and lower jaws) are all helpful in restoring proper nasal breathing and facial development.
In creating wider arches, the tongue now has what she often refers to as “tongue space”. At this time, the release of the lip and/or tongue is completed. Much of this is done including the functional therapy of her affiliated colleagues in myofunctional therapy.
As Dr. Karen plans the timing of oral motor function training and oromyofunctional therapy with her colleagues, she is focused on creating the broader upper arch, thereby allowing optimal growth the lower arch. This creation of the broader arches is generally created using expansion appliances and possibly incorporating forward growth influences of the upper arch.
What are the steps to Early Orthodontics/Growth Modification?
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Evaluation of symptoms and behaviors surrounding Sleep Disordered Breathing
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Evaluation of oral motor function and coordination of therapy with colleagues in myofunctional therapy
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Orthodontic records to include photos of your child’s face and side profile along with images of the arches
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Preferably CBCT image to be able to measure the airway, measure the adenioid and tonsils an possibly coordinate care with ENT colleagues.
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Determination of your child’s growth pattern diagnosis and then the plan for what appliances will help to generate this optimal growth and to track this growth.
Dr. Karen is a highly motivated and hugely committed professional in the health and well-being of her little patients.
Much of her concerns with early airway stem from her journey with her three children. Our practice is known and respected for our whole-istic care and our values in patient management and communication!
We look forward to being your continued trusted Pediatric Dental Airway provider!
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