Blog on Bite, Breathing, Bite, and Beauty
DOME360 : A Workshop on Breathing Health & Craniofacial Development
Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) remains an under-recognized driver of systemic disease, cognitive performance decline, behavioral challenge, and long-term cardiometabolic risk. Dentistry sits in a uniquely powerful position in this space. Dental providers see patients regularly, examine airway-adjacent anatomy routinely, and have interventions that change structural and functional outcomes.
Each specialty contributes a different layer of the solution stack.
A 2 x 2 Matrix | Nasal vs Mouth Breathing, Awake vs Asleep
This central goal can be framed in a 2×2 matrix: nasal versus mouth breathing, and awake versus asleep. Physiologic and anatomic treatments to promote nasal breathing during wakefulness are well established. But restoring nasal breathing during sleep is where maxillary expansion, when properly indicated and executed, can make a profound difference.
Aligning Maxillary Expansion with Nasal Breathing
Over 3 consecutive weekends, I spoke, taught, and learned of contemporary updates in naso-maxillary expansion, at the AAOMS, AAO-ISSS, and AHUL. Coincidentally, they all took place in Florida, my new home base.