Every time I have the opportunity to help patients with TMJ pain or sleep problems I am grateful to have the knowledge to help these patients. There are so many kids and adults who do not function well due to not being able to breath properly. Reduced oxygen often leads to mouthbreathing which in turn leads to aberrant facial development. At the same time, is also the cause of many health and mental issues. Treating these adults and children has been life changing for them. Many of these individuals also have faces that appear to be sagging, aged, or collapsed.or even elongated.
There are many non-surgical ways to correct airway, underbite and overbite issues that are causing airway and breathing problems. Facial Jaw Development technology when properly planned and utilized takes the airway and facial beauty in consideration as well. Sometimes myofunctional therapy, which is making sure the “Big Three” are in place is necessary. Myofunctional therapists work with patients to help with the big 3 which area proper breathing, tongue posture, and lip seal with nasal breathing. It is important to corect the bad habits that helped lead to these issues.
Generally speaking, non-surgical growth guidance treatment, such as AGGA, RAGGA, and Controlled Arch Orthodontics work by is creating an environment where craniofacial growth can be guided back to normal. These appliances assist biology of growth by helping to express heritable genes to allow them to express full genetic potential of each individual.
How Do Growth Guided Appliances Work?
Growth Guided Appliances are appliances designed to develop the upper jaw and re-develop the midface to reach natural harmony then re-position the teeth in the correct place. The work by placing light pressure or stimulation in the correct areas to stimulate development. In most cases, growth guided appliances can help improve breathing problems that occur due to constricted airways as well as cosmetic features of the face including cheekbones, eyes, and even nose
What are some characteristics of aberrant or corrupted growth?
-facial asymmetry
-facial proportions
-mouthbreathing
-open bites
-underbites
-overbites
-TMJ pain
-Neck pain
-Poor swallow patterns
-Aberrant Tongue Habits
Growth Guided appliance work by assisting the biology of growth to allow expressing of that individuals expressable genes,not a surgical guess. The goal is to express full DNA of each individual. Case planning with 3D CBCT scans are necessary to evaluate and plan these cases.
If you have questions or concerns about Facial Jaw Development or non-surgical overbite/underbite correction, please feel free to contact our office, Ronald W. Konig DDS, FAGD, LVIF, FIAPA, 713-668-2289
