Airway Issues

 

Airway Issues play a huge role in the development of children and they can continue to cause problems well into adulthood.

As a Neuromuscular Dentist I am interested in evaluating all of my patients for the following:

Symptoms-

Mouth Breathing                                         Ringing in the Ears

Dry Mouth                                                     Earache without infection  

 Snoring                                                        Vertigo (Dizziness)    

Tired Upon Awakening                               Chronic Allergies                    

Cervicalgia (pain/ muscle tightness back of head/neck)

 

 

These three photos show a young man at age 9 who is developing nicely and has no esthetic issues.  Unfortunately, shortly after the photos were taken, he took ownership of a pet gerbil, that he was allergic to.  The subsequent changes in his facial profile, flattened cheeks, open lips, and nose changes are a result of fighting to get air.  

       

 

 

 Notice how his lower jaw is now set back quite a bit.

 

 

Quite a different appearance due to not being able to breathe through his nose.

Extra-Oral Signs- (things that I see outside the mouth)

Rolled Lower Lip                                    Facial Asymmetry

Dry Lips                                                   Deep Mentalis Crease (Above the chin)

Lips Apart Chronicallly                          Deviated Septum

Dark Circles Under Eyes                      Nose Pointing Upward