Kids with sleep apnea might have trouble paying attention in school because poor sleep affects their focus and learning.
Your dentist in Fulshear will assess your child's need for treatment through a radiographic and clinical exam along with a variety of screening questions related to your child's symptoms.
Your dentist will create a personalized treatment plan which will involve a Vivos sleep appliance, commonly known as a "tooth pillow", based on your child's age and tooth development.
Stay in touch with your dentist for regular follow-ups and monitoring to ensure the best outcomes for your child's sleep health.
.png)
Did you know that some kids with sleep apnea may sleepwalk or talk in their sleep?
Dysfunction in breathing and oral muscles leads to incorrect growth of the jaws and leaves the child susceptible to conditions like malocclusion and sleep breathing disorders. As the dental arches become narrower and room for the tongue is reduced, breathing disorders worsen. Thus, nose-breathing (as opposed to mouth-breathing) leads to optimal function. During this, the tongue is positioned in the roof of the mouth, the lips are sealed, the teeth are slightly apart, and the muscles are relaxed. Proper myofunctional habits at night lead to better sleep and reduce the likelihood of sleep disorders.
Collective Dentistry offers the Vivos sleep appliances to ensure a good night’s sleep for our little ones! Sleep appliance therapy has shown to successfully address sleep-breathing disorders including mouth breathing. These "tooth pillows" properly guide the growing jaws, encourage nose breathing, and improve a child’s behavior, mood, school performance, and overall well-being. Depending on your child's needs, removal of adenoids and tonsils may also be recommended. Additionally, some patients also experience great results supplementing with myofunctional therapy.
- Establish nasal breathing and eliminates mouth breathing
- Establish proper tongue strength, posture, swallowing, and speech
- Guide ideal growth and development of the middle and lower third of the head, including the airway
- Facilitate the growth, development, and alignment of the whole body- Eliminate bad habits (thumb sucking, tongue thrust, etc.)
Treatment involves using a series of removable oral appliances that are worn throughout the night and 1 hour in the evening. We evaluate the following parameters to determine if your child is a candidate: dental alignment, arch form, occlusion, facial development, breathing and posture, tongue position, swallowing, lips and cheeks, habits, and TMJ. We also discuss your child's symptoms. Depending on your child's age, we may measure his or her teeth to determine which appliance size they will begin wearing. The Vivos sleep appliances are ordered from the lab and arrive at the office within 2 weeks. If your child is younger, they may be able to start with a generic-size appliance instead. At the delivery appointment, we will discuss any instructions with both the patient and the parent.
n most cases, Vivos sleep appliances can lead to straight teeth and better function of the oral cavity. They also provide optimal facial development along with better breathing, particularly during sleep. However, we cannot guarantee the patient will not need braces or Invisalign in the future. The appliance is meant to be used by children between the ages of 3-12 years old and, in most instances, the patients may only need limited orthodontic treatment (or no orthodontic treatment at all) at completion.
.png)
.png)
.png)