Airway Dentistry

Frequently Asked Questions About Airway Dentistry

• What does airway dentistry treat?

  Airway dentistry treats various breathing issues and associated problems that adults and children face, including bruxism (teeth grinding), daytime fatigue, snoring, mouth breathing, cracked or crowded teeth, breathing obstruction, hypertension, and obesity. For children specifically, it can also help address night terrors, bedwetting, and behavioral issues like ADHD.

• What treatments are often used for airway issues?

  Airway dentistry treatments vary depending on the patient’s needs and the severity of airway dysfunction. Here at Mint Dental, we offer treatment options including:

  • Mandibular advancement devices: These help reposition the jaw and tongue forward to keep the airway open.
  • Myofunctional therapy: This strengthens and retrains the tongue, lips, and facial muscles to promote proper breathing and oral posture.
  • Invisalign®: Orthodontic treatment helps align teeth and jaws to improve breathing and reduce airway obstructions.
  • CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) treatment: Using a tube and mask worn over the nose or mouth, CPAP therapy delivers a constant stream of air to keep the airway open during sleep.
  • Adult arch expansion therapy: This option widens the upper or lower dental arch to create more space for the tongue, improving airway function and enhancing facial aesthetics.
  • Inspire® therapy: This stimulates the hypoglossal nerve, which controls the tongue and airway muscles, preventing airway collapse during sleep.
  • Tongue tie treatment: This option typically involves a surgical procedure to release tissue underneath the tongue. It is often combined with myofunctional therapy to retrain the tongue muscles for proper placement.
  • Removable habit corrector: These oral appliances help patients, especially children, correct oral habits that can negatively impact jaw development, breathing, tongue posture, and airway health.
  • Fixed expander: These non-removable orthodontic appliances widen the upper or lower dental arch and improve airway function, nasal breathing, and facial development.

  Airway dental treatment can also involve collaboration with other healthcare professionals, such as sleep specialists, ENT doctors, and orthodontists, to diagnose and treat airway-related problems.

• Who is primarily affected by airway dental issues?

  Airway dental issues impact men and women of all ages, but children are especially prone to these problems due to jaw structure, breathing habits, and developmental conditions.

• What is myofunctional therapy?

  Myofunctional therapy (MFT) is targeted exercises for the muscles of the face, neck, and mouth. This is used to optimize oral function, breathing habits, and overall health. MFT retrains functional tongue habits to alleviate mouth breathing issues and impaired facial and oral development. MFT is an integral part of tongue tie releases in which you will meet weekly/every other week virtually (or in person) with one of our highly trained myofunctional therapists.

• What is tongue tie release and who is a candidate?

  If you are a candidate for a tongue tie release, you will begin with a few weeks of myofunctional therapy before the date of the procedure. When it is time for the release, you will be thoroughly numbed in the area needing addressed. The removal of the tethered tissues is completed with a high-tech laser that is virtually painless. You will then receive stitches to close up the wound. Once you start healing, you will resume your myofunctional exercises with one of our therapists.