While most would assume that orthodontics revolves around braces to help straighten teeth, Metro West Orthodontics is taking a new, comprehensive approach that goes beyond aesthetics to focus on patients’ overall health and well-being.
“We want to highlight and spread awareness to the community about the importance of the airway, the impact on facial development, and quality of sleep,” says Kanoe Sakamoto, Director of Business Development.
Sakamoto explains that the focus on the airway is growing in the health and medical field, even in dentistry. This focus is bringing awareness to the whole body, considering how care of one part impacts all health. This is done through an airway evaluation, which sees how air moves from the nose to the back of the throat and down to the lungs and how these parts work together.
Metro West Orthodontics can accomplish this by using the most up-to-date technology and the efforts of Dr. Taera Kim, a leading expert on airway focused orthodontia.
“The thing about traditional orthodontics is it was all about how the public perceives it. Get straight teeth, get a beautiful smile.” Dr. Kim says. “We are trying to bring awareness of prioritizing the significance of the airway and its profound influence on health and developmental aspects.”
A sleep disorder can cause a person’s breathing to stop or become shallow while sleeping, which can cause several issues, especially in children. Symptoms of pediatric sleep disorders, such as hyperactivity, are often overlooked or misdiagnosed as ADHD. By identifying these issues early, Metro West can provide less invasive treatments that take advantage of a child's natural growth potential.
Dr. Kim says, “The first visit to an orthodontist for the airway evaluation should be done at 6-7 years of age. If we can intervene sooner and find out they have airway issues, we can take advantage of their growth potential and modify to give them the maximum airway space.”
Metro West does see patients in all different age groups, but Dr. Kim says the sooner the treatment is provided, the better. Parents are encouraged to be aware of potential signs of airway issues in their children. Mouth breathing, snoring, bedwetting, and difficulty concentrating can be indicators that warrant an evaluation.
“When you’re younger,” she says, “All the treatment is easier, it’s easy to maintain. The benefits are lifelong.”
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