Pediatric Airway Orthodontics in Mayfield Heights, Twinsburg, & Cleveland
Healthy breathing fuels healthy growth. If your child snores, tosses and turns at night, or struggles with focus during the day, their airway may be part of the story. Airway‑focused orthodontics looks at how the jaws, palate, and bite shape the path of airflow, and then guides growth to make breathing easier and sleep more restful. For families across Mayfield Heights, Twinsburg, Lakewood, and greater Cleveland, our team blends kid‑friendly care, modern diagnostics, and growth‑guided appliances to support better breathing and better smiles.
Dr. Felix Gen uses a conservative, evidence-informed approach: evaluate early, treat only when it helps, and time care according to your child’s growth. We’ll show you where airflow may be restricted, explain options in plain language, and map out clear next steps, whether that’s active treatment, collaborative medical evaluation, or simple monitoring.
What Is Airway Orthodontics?
Airway orthodontics is a growth‑guided approach that looks beyond straight teeth to your child’s ability to breathe comfortably, day and night. By evaluating the size and shape of the jaws, palate, and bite, we can identify problems like narrow arches or retrusive jaws that may crowd the tongue and reduce airway space. The right treatment at the right time can create more room for teeth and airflow, supporting better sleep and long‑term oral health.
Benefits You Can Expect from Airway Treatment
Airway treatment can not only help your child right now, but it can also set them up for success down the road. Here are some of the top benefits of airway treatment:
Better Sleep
With airway treatment, you can expect better sleep quality for your child (and your household).
Easier To Breath Through the Nose
Airway treatment helps promote easier nasal breathing and reduced mouth‑breathing habits.
Better Daytime Functioning & Mood
With better sleep from treatment, this can help improve focus, mood, and energy throughout the day.
Healthier Growth & Development
Airway treatment helps make room for permanent teeth and a healthier, more stable bite as kids grow.
Long-Term Oral Health
Airway treatment can also lead to stronger long‑term oral health with improved jaw and facial development.
Who Is Airway Orthodontics For — and When to Start?
Airway‑focused care is most effective for kids because they are still growing. We recommend an orthodontic checkup by age 7 (though we will see kids as young as 5) to catch issues early and coordinate treatment for the greatest benefit. Some kids benefit from airway treatment early on while others simply need monitoring until they’re ready for comprehensive care. Not every child needs airway‑specific treatment, and we’ll tell you honestly if simple observation is the best plan for now.
If you’re seeing any of the following, it’s worth an airway evaluation:
- Mouth breathing, especially at rest
- Snoring, noisy sleep, or frequent waking
- Teeth grinding at night (bruxism)
- Restless sleep, bed‑wetting beyond the typical age
- Daytime sleepiness, irritability, or trouble focusing
- Chronic chapped lips or dry mouth
- Narrow palate, crowded teeth, or an underdeveloped upper jaw
Types of Airway Treatments We Use
Every child is different, but treatment plans often combine:
Expanders
Treatment may involve growth‑guided expanders and appliances to gently widen the palate and support nasal breathing.
Habit Correction
We may help correct habits such as mouth breathing, low tongue posture, and other contributors to airway crowding.
Bite Correction
Airway treatment may include a comprehensive bite correction with braces or aligners at the appropriate stage.
Collaborative Care
In some cases, collaborative care with your child’s pediatrician, pediatric dentist, ENT, or sleep specialist may be part of your treatment plan.
What To Expect at Your Child’s Airway Treatment Visit
Your first visit is simple and low‑pressure. We’ll listen to your concerns, review sleep and breathing history, and make sure you leave with clear answers and options. Here’s a general overview of what you can expect:
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We’ll take photos, digital scans, and measurements.
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We review sleep and breathing history and identify root causes of crowding or jaw imbalance.
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If treatment is recommended, you’ll get clear options, timelines, and costs.
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When appropriate, your child may be able to begin treatment after their initial evaluation.
Cost of Airway Treatment
At Success Orthodontics, we understand that airway-focused orthodontic treatment is an important investment in long-term health and well-being. That’s why we offer flexible financial options designed to make care as accessible and stress-free as possible. Our team provides personalized payment plans, interest-free financing, and guidance on maximizing insurance benefits when applicable. Patients choose us not only for our affordability initiatives, but also for the exceptional expertise and compassionate care Dr. Gen brings to every treatment plan, ensuring you receive the highest quality support at every step.
Ready to Learn More About Your Child’s Airway Health?
If you’re in the Mayfield Heights, Twinsburg, or surrounding Cleveland area and want to learn more about airway orthodontics, our friendly team at Success Orthodontics is here to help. We offer thorough evaluations to determine whether early treatment could benefit your child’s breathing, sleep, and development.
Schedule your free evaluation today and take the first step toward a healthier, more confident future for your child.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pediatric Airway Orthodontics
Mouth breathing can influence how a child’s jaws and facial structures grow, sometimes leading to narrower arches, crowded teeth, or longer facial patterns over time. While every child develops differently, early evaluation helps us understand how breathing habits may be affecting growth. Our team uses gentle, airway-focused orthodontic guidance to support healthier development and long-term oral function.
Airway-focused orthodontics looks at how jaw growth and oral structures may be contributing to nighttime breathing challenges. While it doesn’t address medical sleep disorders, early orthodontic guidance can help improve airflow and support more comfortable breathing during sleep. Many families find that evaluating these factors gives helpful insight into why their child may experience restlessness or frequent waking.
Proper tongue posture supports healthy jaw growth, nasal breathing, and airway development. When the tongue rests low in the mouth, it may influence bite patterns or narrow arch development over time. During an airway evaluation, we gently assess tongue position along with other growth factors to understand your child’s overall oral function and determine whether early orthodontic guidance may be beneficial.