Think about how important your teeth are. Not only do they play a central role in eating, speaking and emoting, they also give you one of your most powerful assets — your smile. But like other areas of the body, they are subject to diseases and malformations that may require orthopedic dental care. At the office of The Center for Pediatric Sleep Apnea Orthodontics, our team of orthodontists specializes in the alignment of teeth by addressing the underlying structural problems of the mouth and jaw.

Not all dentists are licensed orthodontists. While orthodontists and dentists both help patients improve their oral health, their roles are different. Dentistry is a broad medical field that deals with the teeth, gum, nerves, and jaw, while orthodontics is a specialty within dentistry that focuses on correcting bites and the straightness of teeth, most commonly with the use of braces.

Orthodontists also routinely diagnose and correct dental and skeletal issues that can affect the airway and/or be signs of obstructed breathing, including:

an underdeveloped or recessed lower jaw
a high-vaulted palate (roof of the mouth)
narrow upper and lower jaws
crowded teeth
They can also identify enlarged tonsils and adenoids, mouth breathing and other issues that can contribute to sleep disorders in children, such as a condition known as pediatric sleep apnea — a disorder in which your child’s breathing is partially or completely blocked repeatedly during sleep. Working as part of an interdisciplinary medical team, orthodontists can help to diagnose the condition and provide corrective treatment. One of the most popular therapies is the use of oral appliances, custom-made dental mouthpieces that a child wears throughout the night during sleep. The appliance prevents the air obstruction, helping the child to breathe easier and sleep better.

Committed to oral health
At the office of The Center for Pediatric Sleep Apnea Orthodontics, we’re dedicated to providing the highest quality of skilled and compassionate care.

Call our Indianapolis, IN, orthodontics office to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.