Sleep Apnea Orthodontist

Sleep Apnea and symptoms of Sleep Disordered Breathing can be helped with orthodontic treatment. Ask our orthodontists in Calgary at our Market Mall office about sleep apnea orthodontic treatment.

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep Apnea can happen when the airway is obstructed by any or all of tonsils, adenoids, nasal obstruction, and tongue (not enough room because of narrow or receded jaws). At night, the body has to “fight” to get air in past the obstructions — cortisol is produced to create the fight to breathe.

Effects of Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea can happen at all ages. However, sleep apnea in children can have adverse long-term effects.

Long-term high levels of cortisol have negative effects, especially in children:

• growth problems and “failure to thrive”
• attention deficit and learning issues
• “acting out” behaviours such as aggression and hyperactivity
• altered immune response leading to conditions such as asthma
• gastric esophageal reflux disease
• bed wetting, sleepwalking and night terrors
• long-term cardiovascular problems
• hyperactivity and attention problems in children as young as 3 may be due to sleep-disordered breathing and should be evaluated early to prevent longer-lasting issues

How does an orthodontist treat sleep apnea?

Our orthodontists at our Market Mall office in Calgary can help correct misaligned teeth and jaws to allow for easier breathing during sleeping. If you think your child may have sleep apnea, please bring them in for an orthodontic consultation today.