Children who experience issues with the growth and development of their oral and facial structures – particularly, the alignment of proportion of each structure in relation to the others – can often benefit from orthotropics. Treatment with a custom-designed appliance can help correct this development, which in turn helps your child address several different resulting issues. At our Livonia, MI, dentist’s office, we can recommend and design an orthotropic treatment plan specifically to help address the unique conditions your child experiences.
Orthotropics’ main goals for your child
The main goal of orthotropic treatment is to ensure that your child’s teeth, jawbone, and oral tissues develop properly along with the surrounding sinus and facial structures. In extreme cases, a discrepancy in this alignment can be visibly obvious in your child’s facial appearance. However, even if it isn’t noticeable upon first glance, the misalignment can lead to several different kinds of concerns as the oral and facial structures continue to grow. Treatment with an appropriate orthotropic appliance can bring these structures back into alignment and help your child avoid the resulting issues.
Sleep problems like sleep apnea
One of the most common of those issues is trouble sleeping, especially due to sleep apnea. The condition known as sleep apnea occurs when oral or throat tissues collapse into your child’s airway, forcing their brains and bodies to wake up and clear it. This happens repeatedly throughout the night, and can prevent your child from reaching deep, restful levels of sleep. They may grow tired and exhausted throughout the day, have trouble in school or behaving at home, and more. Orthotropics can correct sleep apnea by helping your child’s oral and facial structures develop in a way that reduces the risks of airway obstruction during the night.
Bite problems like bruxism & TMJ disorder
When your child’s bite is thrown out of alignment because of oral and facial structure issues, it can make it much more difficult to bite, chew, and speak comfortably. The stress can lead to a number of bite problems, including damage to the jaw joints (TMJ disorder) and/or constant teeth-grinding (bruxism). These can lead to increasingly worse oral health issues as your child grows older, unless they’re addressed earl with the help of the right custom orthotropic appliances.
Can orthotropics improve your child’s condition?
Depending on your child’s specific needs, orthotropics can help address a wide range of issues stemming from improper oral and facial structure development. For more information, or to schedule a consultation, call the office of James Stewart, DDS in Livonia, MI, today at (734) 425-4400.