4 examples of airway-focused dentistry in action

Many conditions that affect your health and overall wellness stem from airway problems. The office of Mark A. Cruz, DDS, practices Airway-focused dentistry to assess and properly treat breathing issues accurately. With appropriate treatment, our team in Mission Viejo, California, prevents or resolves everything from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) to developmental delays. Here are four examples of airway-focused dentistry in action, and what to expect from treatment that supports healthy breathing and oxygenation, and the well-being that follows.

1 – Lifestyle counseling

Being overweight, smoking, and using alcohol and other sedatives are all risk factors for conditions like OSA. Excess weight places pressure on the airway, whereas sedatives contribute to a relaxation of the muscles in the throat. Smoking, too, inflames the throat and upper airway. So, a healthy lifestyle plays an important role in managing sleep-disordered breathing. Dr. Cruz may also recommend the best sleeping position and sleep hygiene practices to prevent airway collapse and promote a healthy environment for sleep. 

2 – Specialized exercises and physical therapy

Airway issues may be rooted in poor tongue position, weak tongue/facial muscles, and compensatory behaviors and habits (such as persistent thumb-sucking and tongue-thrusting in early childhood). Targeted exercises are designed to strengthen the muscles and tissues of the tongue, palate, and throat. Additionally, Dr. Cruz has a unique level of training in orofacial myofunctional therapy. This specific form of “physical therapy for the face” encourages healthy nasal breathing, good tongue posture, correct swallowing patterns, and appropriate lip seal. 

3 – Oral appliances 

Due to Dr. Cruz’s considerable airway expertise and advanced technologies, he offers a range of appliances for both children and adults. These devices include the Myobrace®, which is a preventive, pre-orthodontic treatment that can address the underlying source of crooked teeth and developmental problems without braces. Appliances like Advanced Lightwire Functionals (ALF) and Biobloc are also designed to guide optimal craniofacial growth. In turn, they prevent dental crowding and other issues that would result in the need for orthodontic treatment later in life. The idea behind our approaches is to intervene early to prevent problems, rather than to react to issues after they have developed. 

4 – Surgical expansion 

Dr. Cruz is uniquely qualified to perform surgical interventions to treat anatomical causes of breathing problems, such as a narrow airway or and narrow palate. By surgically repositioning the upper and lower jaws through procedures such as maxillomandibular advancement (MMA), Dr. Cruz opens up the airway. There is now sufficient room for the tongue and surrounding tissues, which prevents them from blocking the airway. Surgery may be indicated for those patients whose symptoms do not adequately improve with conservative therapies, or for those with severe structural/anatomical obstructions. 

Airway problems can manifest in many ways. The office of Mark A. Cruz, DDS, provides the full range of interventions to prevent problems early in life and to treat them at their source properly. So, patients of all kinds can benefit from our significant expertise in airway-focused dentistry. Call (949) 661-1006 with questions and to schedule your appointment. 

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