Airway Treatment in Keller
Breathe Easy With Orthodontic Treatment
Dr. G Orthodontics is proud to offer advanced airway treatments. The connection between your orthodontic care and great airway health is deeper than you might realize.
Respiration & Orthodontic Health
Breathing plays a fundamental role in your health, and at Dr. G Orthodontics, we recognize and emphasize its role in comprehensive orthodontic treatment.
Our approach prioritizes airway function as a key component of treatment. That means that every patient receives care designed to promote both a healthy smile and a great airway function.
Dr. G integrates the latest medical insights into orthodontic care at our Keller office, so our patient family can benefit from better breathing, improved sleep, and long-term well-being.
Understanding the Airway’s Role in Breathing
Your airway consists of two essential parts, each responsible for supporting healthy breathing:
- The nasal airway: This passage allows air to flow through the nose and is supported by rigid structures like nasal cartilage, bones, and the nasal floor.
- The pharyngeal airway: This pathway directs air from the throat to the lungs and is lined with soft tissues, including the back of the tongue and throat.
Sleep Quality & Breathing
Your breathing patterns during sleep directly affect your ability to rest and recover. When muscles relax at night, airway restriction can lead to disrupted sleep, snoring, or breathing difficulties.
Because sleep breathing patterns often reflect daytime airway function, ensuring a clear, open airway is crucial for both quality rest and overall health.
Why Snoring Could Indicate a Bigger Issue
Snoring isn’t just a nuisance—it can be a sign of airway obstruction. When the airway collapses during sleep, it limits oxygen flow to the brain and reduces sleep quality.
At Dr. G Orthodontics, we take a comprehensive approach to treatment, considering airway health in every orthodontic plan to help patients breathe easier, sleep better, and feel their best.
How You Breathe Matters
Nasal breathing is your body’s natural, healthiest way to take in oxygen. It helps position your tongue against the roof of your mouth, guiding proper oral and nasal development. This small but important function supports a well-shaped palate and improves overall airway health.
Beyond structural benefits, nasal breathing allows for deeper, more efficient breaths, increasing oxygen absorption and circulation throughout your body. Your nasal passages act as a built-in filtration system, trapping allergens and pollutants before they reach your lungs.
It also enhances nitric oxide levels, which play a crucial role in improving oxygen intake and lung function.
At Dr. G Orthodontics, we focus on airway health as part of a holistic approach to your well-being.
Why Mouth Breathing Can Be Harmful
Breathing through your mouth instead of your nose can have lasting consequences. Mouth breathing bypasses your body’s natural filtration system, allowing unfiltered air to reach your lungs and reducing oxygen absorption. Over time, it can also impact the development of your upper jaw and facial structure.
Chronic mouth breathing doesn’t just affect physical health—it can also impact brain function and daily performance. Issues linked to mouth breathing include persistent fatigue, difficulty focusing, symptoms resembling ADD/ADHD, irritability, poor sleep quality, and underperformance in school or work.
Addressing these concerns early can lead to lasting improvements in health and overall well-being.
Orthodontic Treatment for Better Breathing
At Dr. G Orthodontics, we offer specialized orthodontic treatments designed to support airway health and improve breathing. By addressing structural concerns early, we help patients achieve long-term benefits that go beyond a straighter smile.
Rapid Palatal Expander (RPE)
A Rapid Palatal Expander (RPE) gradually widens a narrow upper jaw, creating more space for proper airflow. Attached to the upper molars, it works through small adjustments to a central screw, gently expanding the palate over time.
Once the desired expansion is reached, the RPE remains in place for several months to allow new bone to stabilize. This treatment is most effective in children under 12 before the mid-palatal suture fully fuses.
Microimplant-Assisted Rapid Palatal Expander (MARPE)
For older children, teens, and adults, a Microimplant-Assisted Rapid Palatal Expander (MARPE) provides a more advanced solution for widening the upper jaw. This treatment secures the expander with microimplants, offering additional stability and effectiveness.
MARPE is particularly beneficial for patients with less flexible palatal sutures, helping to correct crossbites, crowding, and airway restrictions for improved breathing and overall function.
Surgical Solutions for Airway Health
In some cases, oral surgery may be recommended to address structural issues that impact breathing. Procedures are tailored to each patient’s needs, ensuring better airway function and long-term health benefits.
At Dr. G Orthodontics, we work closely with patients to determine the best treatment plan, whether through orthodontic appliances, surgical intervention, or a combination of both.