Dr. D’s Recent Publication
Dr. Dawn Diehnelt, DDS Discusses Airway Health with Natural Awakenings Magazine.
Recently, our very own Dr. Dawn Niehnelt, DDS, sat down with the fine folks at Natural Awakenings Magazine.
In the article, Dr. D discussed the cutting-edge treatments available for Airway Issues. She went on to discuss that at Serenity Dental; we use a holistic, natural approach to dentistry by emphasizing airway health. Did you know that teeth, jaws, and face development and function can adversely affect overall health?
Airway issues, left unaddressed, can result in crooked teeth, grinding, sleep apnea, snoring, ADHD, bedwetting and even anxiety and depression. Dr. Dawn Diehnelt is an airway professional who can help with these issues. Read more of this article by visiting the March issue of Natural Awakenings Chicago.
What is Airway Orthodontics?
Airway orthodontics is a relatively new and expanding branch of orthodontics that focuses on improving an individual’s airway by addressing any underlying problems with the jaw, teeth, or tongue position. By looking at teeth and the oral system holisitcally and understanding how the position of teeth and jaw could affect breathing, sleep, and so much more.
Both children and adults not only see a better smile, but better overall health. By training the muscles in and around the mouth to function properly, airway dentistry goes beyond regular orthodontics with minimally invasive treatments and long-term stability.
Airway Orthodontics aims to optimize the upper airway, allowing for proper breathing. Many patients experience tremendous improvements in symptoms related to sleep-disordered breathing, such as snoring and sleep apnea.
The courses of treatment often involve a combination of orthodontic appliances, such as braces or clear aligners, and orthopedic appliances, such as splints or functional orthopedic appliances, to reposition the jaw and enhance the airway. Because every case is unique, our dentist will provide you with a customized treatment plan that addresses your particular goals.
Airway Orthodontic Treatment
One of the very first questions patients ask when starting Airway treatment is how long it will take. We advise our patients that the length of airway orthodontic treatment can vary depending on the severity of the problem and the type of treatment we are using.
On average, treatment can last anywhere from 6 to 24 months. The more complex cases may take longer. Another determining factor of the length of treatment is the patient’s cooperation and compliance with wearing their appliances as prescribed.
For the most successful treatment, regular follow-up visits with our Airway Orthodontist are necessary so that we may monitor your progress and adjust the treatment as needed. Below we discuss one of the most common airway treatment offerings, the Myobrace System.
Airway Orthodontic Treatment may help address common issues such; mouth breathing, restless sleep, fatigue, chronic sore or dry throats, difficulty concentrating, agitation, breathing pauses during sleep, tonils or adenoid-related health problems, flat cheeks, sunken eyes (shiners) and weak chin.
To learn more if treatment is right for you, contact Serenity Whole Health today.
“Dr. Dawn uses a research-based, exceptionally effective approach to dentistry/orthodontia that I haven’t seen anywhere else. My spouse and I both had extensive orthodontia as children and young adults, so when I heard Dr. Dawn talk about her approach, I was intrigued enough to take my children for an evaluation. The techniques she uses have helped my children’s mouths (and bodies) grow appropriately. When things don’t go smoothly or as expected, Dr. Dawn has a seemingly limitless list of ideas and tools. I heartily recommend giving Dr. Dawn and her approach a try!”
