Key Benefits of Myofunctional Therapy

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Myofunctional therapy can change how jaw, face, and mouth muscles interact with one another. The more functional they are, the easier it is to breathe, chew, and speak. We’ll look at why it’s used to treat multiple conditions and its main benefits.

Key Benefits

If you’re asked to take part in myofunctional therapy in Solon, OH, it may be for any of the following reasons:

  • Apnea: The tighter the airway is, the more likely you are to have problems with snoring or obstructions while asleep. Myofunctional therapy widens the airway so everyone can breathe at night.
  • Speech: If the tongue is too low or it’s pushed up against the teeth, it can disrupt a person’s speech patterns. In addition to widening the airway for clearer annunciation, myofunctional therapy can be used to help people improve their patterns.
  • Grinding: For those who grind their teeth at night, myofunctional therapy can create more space in the mouth, thus cutting back on grinding (and the pain that stems from it).
  • TMJ: Improving the muscles of the face can help shift the joint that connects the jaw to the skull. This can reduce the discomfort of temporomandibular joint disorder.
  • Misalignment: Bringing the upper and lower jaw back into alignment can correct problems and prevent malocclusions.

The best part is that this therapy has the ability to correct multiple issues at the same time.

Find an Orthodontist in Shaker Heights

At McGuire Orthodontics and Facial Orthopedics, we can tell you that myofunctional therapy has made a real difference in our patient’s lives. With locations in Shaker Heights and Solon, OH, you can find an orthopedist who can tell you more about what your conditions are and whether this treatment will be able to correct the problems.

The Most Frequently Asked Questions about Myofunctional Therapy Answered

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Has your dentist in Shaker Heights, OH, recommended myofunctional therapy for you? If so, you may have some questions first.

The Most Frequently Asked Questions about Myofunctional Therapy Answered

1. What is myofunctional therapy used for?

Myofunctional therapy is a series of exercises to train the muscles around your mouth, tongue, and face. Performing myofunctional therapy is designed to improve your eating, talking, and breathing issues.

2. What is an example of myofunctional therapy?

A good example of myofunctional therapy in Shaker Heights, OH, is the tongue push-up. This involves positioning the tip of your tongue behind your top teeth and against the roof of your mouth. You then simply push up your tongue and hold it there for five seconds. This exercise needs to be repeated 10 times. Your dentist will also review other available myofunctional treatment options with you.

3. How long does it take to see results from myofunctional therapy?

How long it takes to see myofunctional therapy results will vary from person to person. However, most people experience a noticeable difference after 12 weeks, more pronounced changes after two to three months, and significant changes after six months.

4. Who is a candidate for myofunctional therapy?

Children ages six and older who have snoring issues, obstructive sleep apneas that is caused by mouth breathing, or have misaligned teeth or jaws are ideal candidates for myofunctional therapy. Myofunctional therapy helps children avoid many future risks such as delayed speech and tooth decay. Adults with bruxism, sleep apnea, or other related conditions could also benefit from myofunctional therapy.

Do You Need a Dentist in Shaker Heights, OH?

If you need a dentist in Shaker Heights, OH, please Contact McGuire Orthodontics and Facial Orthopedics today. We use the most modern techniques and technology available in a warm and welcoming environment. And our patients love that our wait times only average about five minutes.

Common Orthodontic Treatments for Adolescents

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An adolescent can be defined as anyone between the ages of 10 and 19. This is a wide range of years during which many dental changes commonly occur. For example, this may be when wisdom teeth make their first appearance, when your child’s teeth begin to crowd, or when other things happen to your child’s dental health that requires intervention. Your child’s orthodontist in Shaker Heights, OH, may become your family’s best friend during these trying, adolescent years.

Common Orthodontic Problems During Adolescence

Most children have lost all their baby teeth by the ages of 11 through 13. That’s why these years may be especially busy for your orthodontist. Keeping permanent teeth from crowding, twisting, or developing gaps is important because these are the teeth your child will have for the rest of their life. Common orthodontic issues for adolescents include:

  • Misaligned teeth
  • Impacted teeth
  • Gaps between teeth
  • Tooth crowding

These can all be corrected through early intervention and routine orthodontic care.

Treatment Options for Orthodontic Problems in Teens

Many of the issues your child will face during these years can be fixed by orthodontic appliances, such as braces, aligners, retainers, palatal expanders, or mouthguards. Your child’s orthodontist will examine their mouth and perform diagnostic tests such as X-rays, to determine which treatments will be most effective. At this time, they may recommend treatment options such as simple surgery to remove impacted wisdom teeth, orthodontic appliances to straighten teeth, or airway orthodontics that help your child breathe more easily.

Orthodontic Treatment in Shaker Heights, OH

For orthodontic treatment for your adolescent in Shaker Heights, OH, call McGuire Orthodontics and Facial Orthopedics today. We’re happy to schedule a time for your child to come in for a comprehensive exam.

Sources

https://www.who.int/health-topics/adolescent-health#tab=tab_1

Adolescent Orthodontics

What is Early Orthodontic Treatment?

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Dental-related problems often begin developing early on. Early intervention may prevent these problems from becoming more serious, which could necessitate more complex treatment later in life. Early orthodontic is a measure to diagnose and treat such conditions in children. Early orthodontic treatment in Shaker Heights, OH, is available at McGuire Orthodontics.

Understanding Early Orthodontic Treatment

Early orthodontic treatment is a preventative treatment offered by your orthodontist. It’s a good idea to bring your child in for an evaluation at around age two. That way, potential problems with airway and facial growth related to dental health may be spotted and corrected.

Parents can be alert for possible issues with teeth, alignment and jaw issues, too. If you see one or more of the following things happening, contact your orthodontic for an evaluation:

  • Difficulties with chewing or drinking
  • Teeth coming in crooked
  • Reluctance to give up the pacifier
  • Delay in the eruption of permanent teeth
  • Persistent finger or thumb sucking

What Early Orthodontic Treatment Entails

When you bring your child in for an early orthodontic evaluation, your orthodontist will conduct a thorough dental exam. This is a great opportunity to bring up any dental-related concerns you may have and to get questions answered.

If your orthodontist finds indications that problems may be developing, then appropriate treatment options will be considered based on the situation as well as your child’s age.

It’s important to know that even if your orthodontist does see something of concern, this doesn’t mean that your child will need orthodontics when they get older. This is the point of early orthodontic treatment; to prevent the need for more complex interventions later on.

If you would like an early orthodontic treatment consultation with your orthodontist in Shaker Heights, OH, contact us today to book your appointment. It will be worth a small investment to help ensure the proper development of your child’s oral health.

young girl with braces smiling

6 Conditions Early Orthodontic Intervention Can Treat

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Has your dentist in Solon, OH mentioned early orthodontic intervention? If so, you might want to learn why it’s so important before proceeding. So let’s take a look at what early orthodontic intervention treats.

Six Conditions Early Orthodontic Intervention Can Treat

Here is some information about pediatric orthodontics in Solon, OH.

1. Tooth Crowding

Tooth crowding is when there isn’t enough room in your child’s mouth for all their adult teeth. When this happens, your child’s teeth will come in crooked.

2. Protruding Teeth

This is when your child’s teeth angle out rather than being straight down. Protruding teeth are more prone to chipping and fracturing.

3. Crossbite

A crossbite is when some or all of your child’s upper teeth close on the inside of their lower teeth and not on the outside of their teeth where they are supposed to close. This causes their jaw to shift to one side.

4. Underbite

This is when your child’s lower jaw extends beyond their upper jaw. An underbite will result in their bottom teeth covering up their top front teeth.

5. Tooth Spacing

When your child has more room in their mouth than they need, gaps will form between their teeth. This is the opposite of tooth crowding.

6. Prolonged Thumb or Pacifier Sucking

Prolonged thumb or pacifier sucking can become a problem because it keeps the bones in the palate from fusing together until your child is older. This puts pressure on the roof of their mouth, causing their bones to shift from their intended position.

Do You Need a Dentist in Solon, OH?

If you need a dentist in Solon, OH, please Contact McGuire Orthodontics and Facial Orthopedics today. We provide personal attention to detail, short wait times, use modern techniques and technology, and have a relaxing, comfortable environment.

Holistic Vs. Traditional: What's the Right Orthodontic Path for You?

Holistic Vs. Traditional: What’s the Right Orthodontic Path for You?

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There’s been a lot of talk about holistic medicine in recent years. With more and more patients and practitioners interested in what it is and how it works, it’s important to clarify how the practice applies to different specialties in the medical and dental professions. If you’ve heard of holistic orthodontics, we’ll look at the underlying principles that drive the orthodontist’s examination of each patient.

Jaw Joints and Teeth

Even with the availability of X-rays and other imaging equipment, not all orthodontists consider how the mouth functions as a whole. Braces may be able to straighten teeth for a time, but if the teeth were misaligned due to an issue with the jaw joint, the results won’t last for very long.

If you’re looking for holistic orthodontics in Solon, OH, the goal is to find a professional who will evaluate the jaw joints as well as your breathing airways. This is done to ultimately assess what the best path is forward. With traditional orthodontics, the relatively rapid shifting of the teeth combined with the compression of the disks of the joint can lead to tension in the jaw. This is more than just a passing annoyance for patients, it can end up causing their teeth to revert to their original positions over time.

Orthodontic Treatments in Shaker Heights, OH

Finding an orthodontist is not always as simple as it looks, particularly when there are different schools of thought on the same issue. At McGuire Orthodontics and Facial Orthopedics, the extra time and care put into a holistic examination is done to save time in the long run. The staff will treat every patient as an individual before recommending a course of treatment that will thoroughly protect the teeth, jaw, and bones. Long after the devices have been removed, a holistic orthodontist in Solon, OH wants to be confident that your follow-ups are little more than general maintenance of a healthy mouth.

 

What Does an Airway Orthodontist Do?

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An airway orthodontist in Solon, OH is trained to look at teeth in more the same way a general practitioner would. Instead of just focusing on individual problems with oral health, they’ll consider health as a whole. We’ll look at why they do this and how a specialist might be able to improve your smile in more ways than one.

Why Airway Orthodontics?

The basic premise is that there is no one cause for misaligned teeth or jaws. In other words, it’s almost certain that patients weren’t born with the problems. Instead, they might be caused for more adaptive reasons, such as diet or lifestyle. (If you see families who all have crooked teeth, it’s likely because they are all exposed to the same stressors.)

What to Expect from an Airway Orthodontist

You can expect a dentist in Shaker Heights, OH to touch on the following:

  • Lifestyle: Quality of sleep and posture can all have an effect on everything from the bite to teeth placement.
  • Airways: Your breathing is dependent on how the tongue, mouth, and teeth work together.

During the evaluation, the orthodontist will consider the size of each airway and whether it needs to be adjusted to allow for better flow. The ultimate goal is an integrative strategy that allows for the best development.

Find a Dentist in Solon, OH

Airway orthodontics is a popular branch in dentistry because it takes a more comprehensive approach to the exam. Instead of just determining that a person needs braces or clear aligners, the orthodontist will look at whether there are changes that could prevent misalignment in the future. If you want to learn more about this specialty and how it’s particularly helpful for kids whose faces are still growing, contact McGuire Orthodontics and Facial Orthopedics for more information.

What Are the Benefits of Early Orthodontics?

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At McGuire Orthodontics and Facial Orthopedics, we agree with the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) that starting treatment in the mid to late childhood years offers many advantage over waiting until your child is a teenager. Keep reading to learn why we fully support early orthodontics in Solon, OH and Shaker Heights, OH.

Dr. McGuire’s Approach

As an expert in pediatric facial growth, Dr. Lucas McGuire recommends that parents schedule a facial growth and airway evaluation for their children by age two. The evaluation gives Dr. McGuire an opportunity to ensure that each of his pediatric patients is developing properly in this area. Evaluating facial growth is especially critical when you consider that facial development is 60 percent complete by age six and 90 percent complete by age 12.

Children who show potential problems with facial growth and tooth alignment when they are two years old can start orthodontic treatment later in childhood. Waiting until the teenage years, as most orthodontists did until the past few years, is no longer necessary.

Common Types of Orthodontic Problems in Growing Children

Your child could have one or more typical malocclusion problems, which is the correct dental term for a bad bite. These include:

  • Crossbite of back teeth
  • Crossbite of front teeth
  • Crowding
  • Deep bite
  • Protrusion
  • Open bite
  • Oral habits, such as prolonged thumb sucking or pacifier use
  • Underbite

Below are some signs to look for that indicate your child could benefit from an orthodontic evaluation as soon as possible.

  • Breathing only through the mouth
  • Clenching or grinding of teeth
  • Difficulty with speech
  • Face appears unbalanced
  • Frequently biting the roof of the mouth or sides of the cheeks
  • Losing baby teeth much earlier or later than expected
  • Problems with biting or chewing
  • Shifting jaws that produce unusual sounds

Starting orthodontic treatment during childhood eliminates these issues and sets your child up for a lifetime of oral health success. Please schedule an appointment to learn more about early orthodontics in Solon, OH or Shaker Heights, OH today.