Airway Orthodontics
Breathe Better. Sleep Better. Live Better.
More Than "Straightening Teeth"
Airway orthodontics focuses on more than just straightening teeth; it’s about creating healthy, open airways for better breathing, improved sleep, and a higher quality of life.
By addressing the underlying structural issues that can limit airflow, airway-focused orthodontic treatment can help children and adults live a better quality of life.
Dr. Wall is your experienced Statesboro orthodontist, offering holistic orthodontic care that goes beyond straightening teeth.
What is airway orthodontics?
Airway orthodontics (also called airway-focused orthodontics or airway-centric orthodontics) is an advanced approach to orthodontic care that considers the size, shape, and function of the upper and lower jaws, the tongue, and the airway.
With airway orthodontics, Dr. Wall’s goal is to ensure that a patient can breathe easily through their nose both during the day and while sleeping, and reduce or eliminate other challenges associated with airway issues.
Common Symptoms of Airway Issues
When the airway is too narrow or obstructed, it can lead to chronic mouth breathing, poor sleep quality, and even long-term health concerns. People with airway issues may experience:
- Loud snoring
- Restless sleep or frequent waking
- Daytime fatigue or brain fog
- Mouth breathing or dry mouth
- Crowded teeth and narrow dental arches
- Forward head posture
If left untreated, airway problems can contribute to sleep-disordered breathing, obstructive sleep apnea, behavioral or learning difficulties in children, and cardiovascular strain in adults.
The best time to address airway concerns is often during childhood, when jaw growth can be guided, but airway orthodontics for adults can also be highly effective in improving breathing and sleep quality.
Orthodontics with Airway in Mind
Whether you need braces, Invisalign®, or other corrective orthodontic appliances, treatment with Dr. Wall and our team is completely personalized to you, and planned with your airway health as a top priority.
After thoroughly examining your smile and airway, Dr. Wall will determine the most efficient treatment route for your case and create a personalized treatment plan that meets your needs. We’ll explain your condition and treatment plan in detail, ensuring that you feel comfortable before moving forward!
How does airway orthodontics work?
Airway orthodontics begins with a comprehensive evaluation of your teeth, jaws, facial structure, and airway. This often includes 3D imaging, a bite assessment, and a review of sleep or breathing patterns.
Rather than focusing solely on aligning teeth, airway-focused orthodontics addresses the root cause, such as a narrow upper jaw, retruded lower jaw, or improper tongue posture, to improve airflow.
In necessary cases, Dr. Wall will collaborate with medical professionals, such as ENT specialists, sleep physicians, or myofunctional therapists, for a truly comprehensive approach.
Treatment Options in Airway Orthodontics
Every airway is unique, and so is every treatment plan. Depending on your needs, your treatment may include what some may call myofunctional orthodontics (better known as myofunctional therapy), expansion appliances (MSE/MARPE), and/or braces or Invisalign®.
Myofunctional Therapy
Sometimes called “myofunctional orthodontics”, myofunctional therapy focuses on retraining the muscles of the tongue, lips, and cheeks to work in harmony, promoting nasal breathing, proper swallowing, and healthy oral posture.
By correcting poor muscle habits, it can improve airway health, support proper jaw growth, reduce snoring, and help orthodontic results last longer.
This can be a powerful, non-invasive airway treatment, especially for children.
RPEs: Expansion Appliances for Children
A Rapid Palatal Expander (RPE) is commonly used in children whose jawbones are still developing.
This appliance gently widens the upper jaw over time, creating more room for teeth to come in properly and opening space in the nasal airway.
By improving the way the upper and lower jaws fit together, an RPE can:
- Support proper breathing through the nose
- Reduce crowding and crossbites
- Encourage healthy facial and airway development
Because a child’s jaw bones are more flexible, RPEs can be especially effective at this age and can set the stage for a lifetime of healthier breathing and smiles. It’s another reason why it’s important to schedule your child’s first orthodontic evaluation at age 7!
Expansion Appliances for Teens & Adults (MSE & MARPE)
For patients with a narrow upper jaw, expansion can create more space for the tongue and open the nasal airway.
MSE (Maxillary Skeletal Expander) and MARPE (Miniscrew-Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion) are advanced techniques that use small screws anchored in bone to achieve expansion in older teens and adults, where traditional palatal expanders may no longer be effective.
These treatments can:
- Increase nasal airway volume
- Reduce snoring and mouth breathing
- Improve tongue posture and swallowing
Airway Orthodontics for Adults
While early treatment often provides the most dramatic changes, airway orthodontics for adults can still yield significant improvements.
Expansion techniques like MSE/MARPE, combined with myofunctional therapy and orthodontic alignment, can help adults breathe more easily, sleep more soundly, live confidently, and smile beautifully.
Your Statesboro, GA, Airway-Focused Orthodontist
At Wall Orthodontics, Dr. Wall takes a comprehensive, holistic approach to orthodontics. As your trusted provider for airway-focused orthodontics near you, Dr. Wall will:
- Examine your (or your child’s) smile, bite, jaw structure, and airway
- Identify any signs of a narrow jaw, misaligned bite, or breathing restriction
- Recommend the most effective treatment — whether that’s myofunctional orthodontics, expansion with RPE, MSE, or MARPE, or a combination of approaches
- Create a personalized plan to help you achieve better breathing, better sleep, and a healthier smile for life
If you suspect that airway issues could be affecting your health or your child’s development, we’re here to help. Book a complimentary consultation with our Statesboro orthodontic office today!
Smile beautifully
And have a good time along the way!
We are your hometown Statesboro orthodontist, providing custom braces and Invisalign® for the whole family. Get started with a complimentary consultation.