Our goal is to promote the proper growth and development of the jaw and airway to optimize airflow and promote proper nasal breathing while straightening your child’s teeth. As these areas develop many of the symptoms of Sleep Disordered Breathing disappear. When kids can breathe properly, they can begin to learn, grow, and blossom into their true genetic potential…just as nature intended.
Sleep apnea used to be seen as a condition that affected older men, and the only way to deal with it was to wear and uncomfortable CPAP machine every night for the rest of your life. So most people didn’t worry too much about it. But scientists and doctors are finding that not only are sleep apnea and sleep disordered breathing far more widespread than we ever knew, but the health concerns around them are more alarming than we imagined. For example, did you know that sleep apnea in children is actually quite common? Or that it has been linked to a number of conditions including ADD, reduced IQ, developmental issues, and can even stunt a child’s growth?
Even people who seem the least likely to suffer from this condition, such as slender-framed, adult women are finding that they are candidates for developing sleep apnea, which is something no one would have suggested just a few years ago.
This news is slowly getting more mainstream attention. So, you’ll find an increasing number of sleep specialists diagnosing and treating a new wave of patients. These sleep experts all have different approaches to treating sleep apnea and a wide range of dental appliances and other therapies are being introduced, both traditional and holistic.
A newly recognized and effective way to address and treat sleep apnea is Myofunctional Therapy—the type of therapy I offer at my dental office in Tupelo, Mississippi.
This makes a lot of sense because in many cases, people who have weak and improperly functioning oral muscles also show signs and symptoms of sleep apnea. If you can strengthen those muscles, you can ease these symptoms. And something that Myofunctional Therapy does brilliantly is to strengthen and re-pattern muscles.
An estimated nine out of ten children suffer from one or more symptoms related to Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB).
These children experience a wide range of debilitating SDB- related health disorders, such as:
• ADD/ADHD
• Lower IQ
• Chronic Allergies
• Aggressive Behavior
• Mouth Breathing
• Swollen Adenoids & Tonsils
• Daytime Drowsiness
• Crooked Teeth
• Restless Sleep
• Bedwetting
• Nightmares
• Dark Circles Under the Eyes
• Snoring
• Irritability
• Frequent Headaches
• Arrested Growth
• Low grades in Math, Science & Spelling
Many kids with the above health disorders are being “treated” with powerful drugs without evaluating a possible root cause. I can evaluate your child at my Tupelo, MS dental office and indicate if there is a breathing and sleeping issue.
Call me at (662) 842-8514 today to schedule an appointment for a consultation or learn more about our services.
Sincerely,
Robert H. Thornton, DMD
