The central issue for many children suffering from the effects of SDB is a compromised airway. When a child’s airway is narrow, underdeveloped, or constricted in any way, the child will struggle to get enough oxygen at night and may resort to mouth breathing. Bringing the upper and lower jaws forward while making them wider can help open up the airway of a growing child.

Mouth breathing is different from nasal breathing and often leads to further compromises in the airway. Mouth breathing is often cited as a contributing factor in a compromised airway and in patients who require orthodontic treatment. It can also prevent the proper function of the tongue and other orofacial muscles children need to speak, swallow, chew, and function. Mouth breathing can also cause the delicate tissues of the tonsils and adenoids to swell and become enlarged, which can further restrict the airway and thus perpetuate the cycle of needing to mouth breathe. “We believe the elimination of oral breathing, i.e., restoration of nasal breathing during wake and sleep, may be the only valid ‘finish line’ in pediatric sleep-disordered breathing.” — C. Guilleminault, S. Sullivan, 2014, Stanford University

Many young children with SDB have dental arches that are underdeveloped, narrow, and positioned too far back. A normal human profile should have the lips and chin positioned well in front of the eyes with a strong jawline. Unfortunately, in most cases, such growth and development does not happen on its own. In our modern world of limited breastfeeding and soft, processed foods, far too many of our children are simply not developing fully in their lower facial areas. If allowed to persist during their formative early years, this condition prevents the proper growth and development of a child’s airway.

If these abnormal conditions are left untreated in children, by the time they are fully grown, there is little that can be done to correct them. All too often, teeth become overly crowded, and extractions are prescribed, followed by years of braces. Eventually, many of these children will grow into adults with SDB, who may eventually require CPAP machines to obtain the oxygen they need at night — all because their airways were never allowed to fully develop. By expanding the anatomy of the upper and lower jaws, the airway can expand and develop to its full potential. If treatment intervention occurs during a child’s critical growing years, many of the symptoms associated with SDB diminish or simply disappear.