Can Braces Help With Sleep Apnea?

If you suffer from sleep apnea, you may be desperately looking for a solution to your problem. You may be wondering if orthodontic treatment can help with sleep apnea, and the answer is yes. Before we explain further, we want to make it clear that we cannot diagnose or treat sleep apnea. When we are performing our initial consultation with future patients, there are a number of examinations we perform. The examination ranges from visual examinations to in-depth X-rays and scans of the teeth, bone structure, skull, and more. During these examinations, there are certain red flags that may indicate you have certain conditions or issues, and we would recommend you see a medical professional who specializes in the condition we may suspect. Sleep apnea in children and adults is one of the conditions that may be a red flag for us during our examination.

How Orthodontic Treatment Can Help

One of the more common reasons we recommend patients receive orthodontic care is due to malocclusion, more commonly referred to as a problem with the bite. When the upper and lower jaws do not line up properly, it can lead to a number of problems. One such problem is sleep apnea. Another common problem patients, especially children, who suffer from sleep apnea have is a narrow upper dental arch. This is one of the reasons we recommend children as young as seven years old visit us for a consultation. With the proper orthodontic treatment, we can assist patients who suffer from malocclusion issues and a narrow upper arch, and we can see if changing the bite and the shape of the dental arch makes a difference in your sleep.

If you or a loved one have recently been diagnosed with sleep apnea and have been recommended to our practice to learn if you would be a candidate for orthodontic treatment, be sure to contact our office located in Southfield, MI to schedule an appointment.