What is Airway Dentistry?
Dr. David Cheng began practicing dentistry in Toronto, Canada, upon graduation from the School of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario in 1987. Since then, he has taken part in numerous continuing studies and advanced dental training to improve his skills and knowledge. As a result, he has completed... more
Airway dentistry is a relatively new topic that focuses on the assessment of the structure, function, behaviors of the oral cavity, specifically the bite and palate. These areas are related to the function of chewing, swallowing, speaking, and most importantly, breathing.
Airway dentistry addresses a plethora of oral issues that impact breathing. It is popular for addressing sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, due to its prevalence in the media. Besides correcting sleep disorders, airway dentistry also seeks to improve overall health.
Why is Airway Dentistry Important?
Airway dentistry has a direct impact on an essential human function – breathing. Breathing might seem like the main function of the respiratory system, but it is extremely important to dentistry as well. Your oral health influences your breathing and vice versa.
Breathing, speaking, chewing, and swallowing all share the same structures; they all have to work together within a single framework. When there is disharmony, there is dysfunction. Dysfunction within oral structures can cause a whole range of symptoms: headache, fatigue, inability to concentrate, TMJ disorders, tinnitus, and sleep-related breathing disorders.
Additionally, breathing controls moment-to-moment changes in body chemistry. The body chemistry affects the muscles of the jaw, and therefore the teeth. Mouth breathing leads to dry mouth, which can lead to enamel damage, making your teeth more vulnerable to the formation of cavities.
