Your Child's Dentofacial Development

Dr. Woodlief works with Pediatricians and Board Certified ENT's to insure your child's cranial facial correction. The ultimate goal is normal development of the Airway and the TMJ's. Orthopedic correction of both the upper and lower jaws is viewed as a medical model, covered by most medical insurance. Please call our office for a free consultation.

The overall health and wellness of a growing child is every parent's concern. The growth and development of your child's face and mouth is directly liked to his or her systemic health and wellness during formative years and adulthood. The mouth takes in nourishment and the breath of life. As such, the skeletal and muscular structures that support the mouth and the airway should be evaluated from an early age on a regular basis.

Dr. Victor D. Woodlief is a general dentist who has acquired training in the growing field of Dentofacial Orthopedics. This deals with diagnosing, treatment planning and remodeling facial bones to maximize airway space and skeletal development. The nature of Dentofacial Orthopedics is minimally invasive and highly preventative. Dr Woodlief recommends that children be evaluated according to the following criteria:

The Airway

Does your child:

• sleep in an abnormal position with her head off the bed or propped up with pillows
• snore loudly and often
• stop breathing during the night for 10-20 seconds followed by choking, gasping, waking up
• sweat heavily during sleep
• sleep restlessly
• wet the bed
• have difficulty waking up even though she has slept long enough
• have headaches during the day particularly in the morning
• become irritable, aggressive of cranky
• fall asleep or daydream at school or at home
• have school related or other behavioral problems
• have an Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity (ADHD)

Snoring

May be as sign of reduced oxygen intake during sleep-may be associated with sleep apnea (child stops breathing momentarily)-generally associated with mouth breathing-increased blood pressure may result.

Daytime Sleepiness/Irritability

May be caused by poor quality sleep as a result of compromised breathing/may lead to learning difficulties, hyperactivity, ADHD, inhibited growth.

Dental Arches

Are the arches taking on the prescribed wide "horseshoe" shape or the compromised narrow 'V' shape? Is there sufficient space for the tongue.

Oral Habits

Thumb or finger sucking habits as well as long term pacifier and baby bottle use may affect the shape of the jaw bones and the position of the teeth. Are teeth protruded? Can the child bite? Is the child open-lipped?

Earaches

An underdeveloped upper arch may trap the developing lower arch causing it to impinge on the ear canals.

Headaches

Less than ideal facial bone development may cause a strain on facial muscles resulting in headaches, neck aches etc.

Dental Crowding

Permanent teeth are mechanically blocked out due to insufficient space-may affect appearance, chewing and speech clarity.

TMJ-jaw joint health-may be affected by the position of the lower jaw

A bad bite and the resultant muscle strain may eventually lead to a musculoskeletal dysfunction of the head and neck. This cluster of symptoms is commonly known as Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (the temporomandibular joints are the two joints just in front of your ears which connect your jaw bone to your skull). This dysfunction affects the entire muscular and skeletal systems and includes a wide variety of symptoms such as headaches, neckaches, ringing in the ears, and sinus problems (see figure 2). In fact a recent survey has shown that 33% of adolescents coming in for routine orthodontic care already have beginning symptoms of TMJ Dysfunction ( E.H. Williamson, DDS.' "The Role of Craniomandibular Dysfunction in Orthodontic Diagnosis and Treatment," Dental Clinics of North America, Vol.27, No. 3 (July, 1983)

For the sake of your child, take a preventative approach! It is much easier and faster to correct muscles and bones in a growing child than in an adult.

Facial Profile - a recessed lower jaw

May be an indicator of improper orthopedic development

What our Treatment can do for your child

Following a comprehensive evaluation your child may be fitted with a customized functional appliance to generally widen the upper dental arches and control musculature while correctly positioning the lower arch. These actions allow for proper tongue posturing (ample tongue space leads to nasal breathing), widens nasal turbinances to improve nasal breathing as well as correcting any vertical over closure or narrow facial development. If required the teeth are repositioned so as to maintain these orthopedic corrections, which leads to optimized airway and desirable facial development.

BENEFITS OF EARLY EVALUATION AND TREATMENT

• improved airway for life
• restful sleep/daytime attentiveness
• cardiovascular health
• reduced speech impediments
• effective chewing
• jaw joint health and comfort
• reduced incidence of earaches
• pleasing facial profiles
• confidence and improved self esteem