Myofunctional orthodontics seek to correct improper muscle function in children that results in conditions such as snoring, sleep apnea, irregular bite, and other problems. While these issues could be corrected with traditional braces, myofunctional orthodontics offers alternative devices to correct the muscles specifically.
There are a few benefits that come with this treatment in addition to alleviating the symptoms of the conditions we mentioned above. The appliances are removable and aren’t worn all the time, so your child won’t have to worry about working harder on their oral hygiene like they would with traditional metal braces. Sometimes our patients avoid needing braces altogether, just through the use of myofunctional orthodontics.
This treatment has significant long-term benefits as well. Patients who received myofunctional orthodontics as children saw an improved quality of sleep as compared to those who did not receive treatment (but should have). If your child isn’t getting enough sleep at night, and the sleep he or she is getting is of low quality, you will end up having to deal with a variety of issues. Performance at school is usually the first place you will see a decline in your child’s activity, and this is usually the most important.
How your child interacts with others, how they develop, and even their facial growth can all be linked to how well they sleep at night. And just think, you can avoid having to deal with all of these problems by simply having them undergo myofunctional orthodontics at an early age.
Pay close attention to your child and how they sleep. If they snore consistently, or stop breathing while they sleep (even for a short time), it may be wise to see a specialist. If your child is a thumb-sucker or a mouth-breather you may also want to consider seeing a specialist. If you cannot break them of these bad habits, this will result in crowded teeth, incorrect jaw development, and even larger orthodontics problems. Myofunctional orthodontics can help correct the issues that have been caused by these bad habits.
The appliance usually only has to be worn for a few hours each day, which means the pressure is intermittent instead of constant (as opposed to braces). The best part about myofunctional orthodontics is that children aren’t the only ones who qualify. If you should have received treatment as a child but didn’t, you can now seek out treatment to address the myofunctional concerns you may have.
We encourage our patients to see out myofunctional treatment before looking to more traditional treatments like braces. You can save a lot of time and effort by undergoing this treatment that has been growing rapidly in popularity. To learn more about myofunctional orthodontics, we encourage you to reach out and make an appointment at Ashburn Children’s Dentistry. At our convenient location in Ashburn, VA, we strive to provide our patients with high-quality care that improves their quality of life. Contact us today to set up your consultation – we look forward to speaking with you!
