Can orthodontics be used treat sleep apnea?

Video Overview

Can orthodontics be used to treat sleep apnea? Some patients have already asked me if that is possible. My answer to that is maybe. Now, some people, they have very narrow mouths and their teeth are really crowding close together and when that happens, your tongue does not know where to go but back to your throat. And so, that compromises your airway and makes it hard for you to breathe at night time. If we are able to expand the teeth and the jaw bone out, your tongue sometimes can come naturally forward and for some people that is enough to actually cure their sleep apnea. Now, for some other people who have problems breathing through their nose, an upper airway resistance syndrome, we can generally expand the upper jaw out and the full of their nose will go ahead and expand as well. It will get more nasal volume. They may have considered surgery in the past but this may be one viable option to not only get straight teeth but to actually breathe better as well.