are also Healthy Start Patients!
Have you noticed that your child is struggling to get a full night’s rest? Do they wake up overly fatigued or appear easily frustrated? It may be that they are struggling to breathe because of an obstruction in their airway. Because children’s faces and oral structures are continuing to grow and change, a more serious problem can be the cause and without treatment, the symptoms can worsen over time. Fortunately, with the Healthy Start Sleep Apnea Treatment for Children program at Bionica Dental Wellness of Delafield, we can work with your little one to start breathing better and getting the sleep they need. Contact us today to learn more.
If the term “sleep disordered breathing” is foreign to you, it’s okay. Also known as SDB, it can occur when your child is having difficulty breathing while they are asleep. Whether it is due to a narrowing of their airway or an obstruction, it is imperative that treatment be provided to minimize symptoms in the future.
You may find that your child is a mouth breather because they cannot properly breathe through their nose. This might seem harmless, but the truth is that it can lead to facial abnormalities as it continues to develop over the years. In turn, you may find that your child struggles with behavioral and social issues because of their appearance.
The tongue will become accustomed to laying in a position that causes the lower half of your child’s face to appear longer, which leads to an imbalance in their overall facial structure. This is especially true in instances where a blockage exists in the nasal passage.
When it comes to SDB, it’s important that you are mindful of the symptoms. Although many can be mistaken as harmless, they can be signals for something more serious that requires professional treatment. They include:
from the use of HealthyStart Devices
The sooner you can have your child see a trusted professional for help, the greater the chances are that they will no longer experience the symptoms that once plagued their sleep patterns. With the help of our talented team, we can put your child on a path to better overall health.
When scheduling an appointment to meet with one of our esteemed Bionica Dental Wellness of Delafield team members, we will begin by going over your child’s overall health concerns as well as their sleeping patterns. We will take impressions that will allow lab technicians to fabricate an oral appliance that your child will wear while resting.
The device will be made according to the specifications of your child’s smile, making it possible for their tongue and jaw to rest in the appropriate places. As a result, this will help to improve the structural changes to their face and encourage better breathing.
Not all children are considered good candidates for this program; however, Dr. Holinbeck and our team will make sure to evaluate each one to determine how best to treat the issue. If you notice that your child is showing symptoms that are connected to sleep disordered breathing, do not wait to seek help, as it will improve their chances of avoiding serious sleep apnea as they get older.
If our team believes your little one could benefit from Healthy Start, you can expect that we will draft a custom treatment plan. In this, we will discuss how the oral device works and what it will do to improve your child’s overall health and ability to sleep comfortably.
Once impressions are taken, we will send them off to a lab, where technicians will create a custom device that your child will wear while they are asleep.
Based on the recommended timeframe for treatment, you should begin to notice a difference quickly. If they begin to wake feeling better rested and more attentive, you will know that the device is working. But these are just a few of the positive changes you can expect to see. You’ll also discover that their confidence improves because of the way their appearance changes.
While the Healthy Start program may not be the right method of treatment for every child, Dr. West and her team will evaluate and examine your child to make sure they are exhibiting the symptoms and experiencing the structural changes and problems that are most closely aligned with SDB.
Should they believe your child is a qualified candidate, she will create a customized treatment plan for you to review. This will explain the process of receiving an oral device and how it will work to improve your child’s sleep patterns and facial development.
After taking impressions of their smile, a custom-made oral appliance will be created to ensure it fits comfortably within their mouth while they sleep. Based on the severity of your child’s SDB, Dr. West will recommend how long and when your child will need to wear the device.
Within a short amount of time, you and your little one will begin to notice a significant difference in how they breathe and sleep. You will also see a change in the way their jaw, teeth, and facial features form, allowing them to feel more confident when surrounded by their peers.