SERVICES
Child Teeth Grinding San Diego
Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB)
Teeth grinding is just one of the symptoms related to Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB), which causes airflow to be interrupted and blood oxygen levels to drop. When this happens, many people will naturally respond by grinding or clenching their teeth to help open up their airway. This is a cyclical problem, where compromised airway can lead to teeth grinding, which leads to worn teeth, which leads to TMJ joint disorders, which leads to sleep disorders. The key is to find the root cause and interrupt this pattern to improve overall sleep and TMJ wellness.
SDB Related Health Disorders
SDB in children is especially problematic, because sleep deprivation can lead to a number of identified problems.
ADD/ADHD
Chronic Allergies
Aggressive Behavior
Mouth Breathing
Daytime Drowsiness
Crooked Teeth
Teeth Grinding
Bedwetting
Dark Circles Under Eyes
Snoring
Low Grades
Nightmares
Restless Sleep
Swollen Adenoids / Tonsils
An estimated nine out of ten children suffer from one or more symptoms related to Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) — JAOS, Bergesen
SAN DIEGO HEALTHY START PROVIDER
About the Healthy Start System
The Healthy Start System is an oral appliance therapy that promotes the natural growth and development of the upper and lower jaw, which addresses the root cause of Sleep Disordered Breathing. These appliances were designed to promote proper nasal breathing with the added benefit of straightening your child’s teeth. As the jaw and airway develop, many of the symptoms related to Sleep Disordered Breathing disappear, and when kids can breathe properly, their overall well being improves and they can grow into healthy adults - as nature intended.
In the past, many of the above mentioned health disorders were “treated” with drugs or surgery without further evaluation of a possible root cause. Until recently, I was also suggesting to patients that they have their children evaluated for swollen tonsils or adenoids if I learned that they were on ADD/ADHD medication. Now, through my experience with my own children, I have started to chase alternative treatment options that are much less invasive.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Healthy Start not only addresses the root cause of SDB, it simultaneously straightens your child’s teeth without braces. These appliances help expand the arch to allow for proper spacing for teeth to grow in, but also guide the teeth grow straight. Think of this as an interceptive appliance to straighten teeth, as opposed to using braces to do the work.
Diagnosis starts with a simple questionnaire for you to fill out. We then evaluate the results and set up a time to examine your child. If your child is a candidate, we start with a Habit Corrector to train your child on proper tongue placement through myofunctional exercises. This will help train your child to properly breath through the nose, while simultaneously starting the process of arch expansion.
Class III “Underbite” before and after
Lower arch crowding before and after
Open Bite Before and After
Overbite Before and After
Overjet before and after
Overjet before and after
Underdeveloped Jaw before and after
Upper Arch Crowding before and after
GET STARTED
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