By Daniel F. Babiec, DMD, MAGD, FICOI
Will your child have “buck” teeth? Will his lower chin “melt” into his neck? Will his nose unnaturally protrude? The answers to these questions depend on “oral posture.” Correct oral posture will ensure that a child’s face will grow in a balanced way. It will also open their airways so they won’t snore or have other breathing or sleep disorders as they grow to adulthood. Their teeth and jaws will be properly aligned and their facial shape will not be distorted.
Correcting oral posture takes more than just traditional orthodontics. At Bradlee Dental Care we offer an orthodontic technique called Biobloc Orthotropics®. If you are a parent concerned about your child’s facial and oral development, you should know that your child may be able to benefit from the Biobloc Orthotropics® treatment.
Correct oral posture means that when the child is in a resting state (not eating, drinking or speaking), their teeth are together, their lips are together and their tongue is touching the roof of their mouth. With this oral posture the face and teeth will grow correctly. Without it the face won’t grow properly and the child will be at risk for all the conditions described above. In addition, any attempt at traditional tooth straightening will be less stable.
Blocked or restricted airways can cause a long list of problems for both children and adults. Proper growth is adversely affected when we the body doesn’t get the oxygen it needs. Conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea, snoring, crooked teeth and abnormal facial symmetry are just some of the maladies that can result from poor airway health. A 2007 study demonstrated Biobloc Orthotropics® can improve airway volume by 30%. Currently Biobloc Orthotropics® is the only known method to increase the size of the airway for growth guidance.
Airway health is directly related to how the face grows. Facial symmetry and growth is influenced by genetics and tongue position. Favorable growth is considered more horizontal than vertical growth. Vertical growth results in elongation of the face, tooth crowding, narrowing of the palate, recessed chins, increase in airway restrictions and other conditions.
Biobloc Orthotropics® helps the face grow to its genetic potential by eliminating growth restrictions caused by poor oral posture. It allows both jaws to develop correctly in a forward and horizontal direction. When this happens the base of the tongue comes forward with the face which moves it out of the airway space allowing more air flow from the nose to the lungs.
The Biobloc Orthotropics® procedure uses a series of retainers to guide the growth of the jaws to a more forward position. The retainers are comfortable to wear and are not visible making it desirable for the patient. This treatment works best in children between ages 5 and 8. It is at this age when the upper jaw grows the most. Treatment time varies depending on the child’s age and severity of the condition. The end goal of treatment is to improve oral posture, increase favorable and more aesthetic facial growth and improve airway volume.
To learn more, and to find out if your child is a candidate for Biobloc Orthotropics®, contact Dr. Babiec at 703-820-0809 to arrange a consultation.
Daniel F. Babiec, DMD, MAGD, FICOI is a partner at Bradlee Dental Care, 3690 King Street, Suite KL in the Bradlee Shopping Center in Alexandria. For more information about the content outlined in this article go to: http://bradleedentalcare.com/biobloc_orthotropics_alexandria_va.html
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