An Alternative to Braces.

Most people think that the only option when a person has crowded teeth or crooked teeth is braces, and perhaps until recently that may have been true. In this country, more than 4.5 million people, mostly between the ages of 6 and 18, are required to wear braces; however, advances in dentistry, as well as a better understanding of how teeth grow, have provided some other alternatives these days, including non-surgical treatment options.  Oral appliance therapy has provided a braces alternative, which is great news for many youngsters who dread wearing braces because of the discomfort, as well as the social stigma attached to them. 

When underdeveloped jaws are responsible for your child’s teeth growing improperly, there are some alternatives that can be pursued so that braces are unnecessary. The approach taken at the Breathing and Sleep Center guide the development of the jaws, so that the upper airway forms properly, thus making sufficient room for all the adult teeth to come in, even the wisdom teeth. When this approach is adopted, it will often preclude the need for having your child wear braces, and it will help improve their breathing as well. In addition to having a healthier oral status, your child will be less likely to develop sleep apnea, or any other sleep disorder later on.