Airway Dentistry

By Sheri Salartash, DDS, MAGD, NMD, IBDM, FIAOMT, FAAO, FIAO, FICOI

Dynamic Dental Wellness

. https://dynamicdentalwellness.com/

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Airway Dentistry

The most important element to life is the air we breathe. When the airway has problems, the rest of the mouth can be affected as well. Airway dentistry is a growing field of dentistry that focuses on the airway, and how breathing relates to the structure of the mouth. Finding a dentist that understands the connection between oral health and overall body health is important for treating airway issues and dental treatments.

Sleep-Disordered Breathing

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) has a few different classifications, the two most commo being Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS). Obstructive sleep apnea is when the airway becomes blocked (obstructed) by the tongue, which causes lapses in breathing while sleeping. Snoring or gasping while sleeping are common indicators of OSA. Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome is a mild form of OSA – the breathing isn’t completely stopped but the airway is restricted. UARS can cause you to feel tired when waking up due to the fact that the body cannot fall into the deep stages of sleep because there is a lack of oxygen.

Snoring is the vibration of the tissues in the back of the throat due to air. It’s important to note that snoring lightly here and there is normal and not harmful. If snoring is occurring more than 3 days a week, that can indicate sleep-disordered breathing. Snoring can be caused by many things, but the most common are alcohol, the use of sedatives, nasal congestion, sleeping on the back and obesity.

Connection

It can be hard to tell if you have airway problems and sleep disordered breathing, mostly because most of the symptoms occuring when you are sleeping. Teeth grinding/clenching (bruxism), crooked teeth, overcrowding, and bite issues are a few things that can indicate a restricted airway.

Treatment

The side effects from airway issues and sleep disordered breathing can make enjoying life difficult. Thankfully there are a few treatment options that can help:

• Airway Expansion: By using a palate expander, the jaw will expand to make room for the teeth (which can solve the crooked teeth and overcrowding) and also broaden the arch, which will in turn, make more room for the tongue and open the airway. An additional perk to an expander is the easing of tension in the TMJ (temporomandibular joint), which can be relief for pain in the head, neck, shoulders and face.
• NightLase: NightLase is the use of laser on the soft tissues in the airway to activate the body’s own collagen and tighten the tissue to open up the airway.
• Oral Appliance Therapy to assist moving the lower jaw forward
• Oromyofunctional therapy to strengthen the coordination of the tongue and facial muscles.