Straight teeth and easy breathing

What "airway-friendly" means

Traditional orthodontics asks one question: how do we line up the teeth? Airway-friendly orthodontics asks a second one: is there enough room for this person to breathe well, especially at night?

A narrow upper jaw, a lower jaw that sits back, and crowded teeth all shrink the space behind the tongue. In kids, that can show up as mouth breathing, snoring, restless sleep, and a face that grows long and narrow. Our doctors look for those signs at every consultation and plan treatment that helps, not hurts.

Airway and sleep screening

At your free consultation we screen for airway concerns as part of the exam: how your child breathes, the shape of the palate, tonsil size, and a few questions about sleep. If we see something worth a closer look, we'll say so and, when appropriate, work alongside your pediatrician or an ENT.

We screen and plan orthodontic treatment. We don't diagnose or treat sleep disorders; that's a job for a physician. When something's outside our lane, we'll point you to the right person.

Guided growth for kids

Kids' jaws are still growing, which is a huge advantage. With the right appliance at the right time we can:

• Widen a narrow upper jaw with a palatal expander, which creates room for teeth and for airflow through the nose
• Encourage forward growth of a lower jaw that's sitting back
• Address habits like thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, and mouth breathing that push growth the wrong way
• Use guided-growth appliances (including the Tooth Pillow system) that gently train tongue posture and jaw development while your child sleeps

This often happens in a short early phase around ages 6 to 10, followed later by braces or aligners if needed. More on early treatment.

For teens and adults

Growth is mostly done, but planning still matters. We avoid treatment plans that shrink the airway (for example, pulling teeth and moving the front teeth back when there's a better option), and we choose approaches that keep the tongue space open.

What it costs

Airway-friendly planning is part of how we do every consultation, not an add-on fee. Early-phase appliances and full treatment are covered by the same interest-free in-house financing as everything else, with payments as low as $99 a month. We'll go over your options and the monthly payment at your free visit. Financing details.