Melissa Rozas, DDS, treats infants through teens, and finds that some of the most common, but not necessarily acceptable, causes of airway issues is mouth breathing. She states, “This could be caused by enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids, tongue restrictions (tongue tie), uncontrolled allergies causing airway inflammation, and poor oral muscle tone. We assess the airway through clinical symptoms (medical history, sleep and daytime questionnaires), clinical assessment and imaging. Sometimes we address enlarged tonsils and adenoids by seeing the ENT (ear nose and throat physician) first and or seeing the allergists. We will also address skeletal discrepancies in jaws by referring to an orthodontist and address any oral dysfunction or weakness by referring the patient to an oral myofunctional therapist.”

She believes that any dentist or physician can and should acquire the skills to assess the mouth and airway. “Knowledge of the structures, such as arch shape, crowding of teeth, depth of palate, soft palate length, tonsils size, tongue elevation and suction are some of the clinical areas evaluated when doing an airway assessment,” says Rozas. “In our office, we also do measurements of the arches and tongue elevation, along with a cone beam-computed tomographic scan, which allows to see the soft tissue and hard tissue of the airway. An important component of airway assessment includes a detailed medical history and sleep questionnaire.”

Nasal breathing with lips closed is an important aspect of airway health. Rozas thinks that it should be screened either by an airway-centric dentist or a physician that understands all the components of airway health.

Location: 632 E. Sandy Lake Rd., Coppell. For more information, call 972-393-9779 or visit rozasdds.com.