A little known field of dentistry that I’m particularly interested in is called airway dentistry. The mouth serves so many functions in eating, digestion and gut health, but is also plays an important role in taking a breath. Learning how the jaw and tongue position, dental alignment, and oropharynx are so interconnected with this vital process is fascinating because breathing is something we do subconsciously but has significant impact in our lives.
Traditional medicine practices have often provided guidance on breathing techniques to improve overall health. For example, yoga employs breathing techniques, collectively called pranayama, that each have a specific benefit to health. Even from ancient times, people understood that controlling, modulating and optimizing the breath has incredible effects on energy, mood, digestion, and immunity.
So how does this tie into dentistry?
Holistic airway dentistry is an approach to dental care that considers the whole person, not just their teeth and gums. It recognizes that the health of the mouth and airway can have a significant impact on overall health and well-being.
Holistic airway dentistry focuses on improving breathing, posture, and sleep quality by addressing any issues with the airway, jaw, and teeth. It involves a combination of traditional dental treatments, such as routine hygiene and dental care, as well as therapies like myofunctional therapy, tongue-tie releases, and airway-focused orthodontics.
Expansive orthodontics, also known as orthopedic orthodontics or functional orthodontics, is a type of orthodontic treatment that aims to widen the upper jaw and create more space for teeth. This treatment is based on the idea that many common orthodontic problems, such as overcrowding, overbites, and underbites, are caused by a narrow upper jaw. Structurally this can influence how we are able to take in a breath, and particularly alters how we breathe in our sleep.
By using techniques such as palatal expanders, which apply gentle pressure to the upper jaw to widen it over time, expansive orthodontics can help create more room for teeth to grow in and improve the overall alignment and function of the bite.
Overall, airway dentistry is a growing field that is now coming more into focus as we have more technical advances and ease of imaging and treatment. While we as dentists focus on improvements in breathing during sleep and activity, I like to think from the holistic and yogi perspective of maintaining your prana, the vital force of life.