Breathing Problems and Orthodontics

Does Your Child Have a Breathing Problem? Does your child breath loud and mostly through their mouth? Do they snore when they sleep? Do they have frequent sore throats, ear and nose infections or allergies and asthma?

If so, your child may have a problem with the size of their airway. These are all common symptoms of children who have difficulty breathing because of airway problems. One of our main focuses when we examine children at Coleman Orthodontics, is their airway and breathing patterns.

An airway can be partially blocked due to a deviated septum, large adenoids or tonsils or because of allergies. A small airway results in kids breathing more out of their mouths than their nose. This increased “mouth breathing” can cause the jaws to develop narrow and small which can then lead to severe crowding problems with the erupting teeth. Another problem often associated with breathing and airway challenges is sleep.

Many kids who struggle to breath properly aren’t able to achieve the deep REM sleep needed to heal their bodies and minds. Poor sleep patterns can result in difficulties with growth and development as well as behavior. If these symptoms sound familiar, give us a call to arrange a complimentary consultation. Orthodontic treatment is often part of the solution to solving these airway problems and helping kids do better to thrive.

Hear from parent Courtney Gordon. "During my eight-year-old daughter's first visit to Dr. Coleman's office, I filled out a breathing questionnaire to which I answered positively to several questions. After x-rays and a physical exam, Dr. Coleman informed me that my daughter had a restricted airway, which caused the narrowing of her upper palate. We were given a referral to an ENT and ended up having her tonsils and adenoids removed. Now she can breathe through her nose, chew with her mouth closed and no longer snores! Dr. Coleman followed her surgery with a palate expander, and in a matter of months her upper teeth fit properly over her lower jaw. I had always thought it was unfortunate that she couldn't breathe through her nose well but never considered something could be done about it until meeting with Dr. Coleman. I'm so grateful for his knowledge and intervention!"