My child snores and grinds their teeth really loud! Is there anything you can do, Doc?

Typical appearance in snoring/grinding little patients: chipped teeth or sharp and jagged edges from grinding, crowding/tight teeth which leads to the patient being more cavity prone (as seen on the bottom front), deep bite appearance in which the top teeth almost completely cover the bottom teeth, and an under-developed lower jaw.

​In crowding cases like this, we can start treatment when they are as young as 4 years old.

We absolutely can! Our dentists are able to perform an exam to determine if your child would be a good candidate for a myofunctional appliance. Proper appliance wear would help treat the cause of the snoring and grinding symptoms. Your child would get a good nights sleep, while also protecting their precious first set of teeth and promoting proper facial development.

Snoring and grinding are tell tale signs of sleep disordered breathing or improper nasal breathing (mouth breathing). When the patient’s airway is narrow, they will breathe predominantly through the mouth rather than through the nose. It is also a sign of poor facial development.

Many children breathe through their mouths. Mouth breathing exposes the tonsils to toxins, allergens, and pollutants and can stress out the nervous system. Mouth breathing also disrupts the feedback to the upper jaw, leading to the downward, backward growth pattern seen in long-faced children with eye bags. Conversely, nasal breathing cleans, warms and humidifies the air and causes a relaxation response. 
 
Myofunctional therapy can be used to open the airway by posturing the jaw and tongue positioning. This treatment helps regulate the airway and allow adequate oxygen flow and proper growth and development of the jaws and facial structure.