Airway Orthodontics & Facial Development
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Our Orthodontic Approach
At Airway Dental & More, we prioritize airway health alongside traditional dental alignment. The position and function of the teeth play a key role in affecting breathing, sleep quality, and overall health. Our approach focuses on achieving harmony between the muscles, bones, and teeth, ensuring that each element works together for long-term stability. By addressing this balance during orthodontic treatment, we not only enhance dental aesthetics but also improve overall health and well-being.
What Makes Airway Orthodontics Different?
A Wholistic Approach
We take a wholistic approach to orthodontic care, considering not only the alignment of the teeth but also the impact on airway health. By addressing both aspects simultaneously, we can achieve comprehensive results that promote better breathing and overall well-being.
Customized Treatment Plans
Each patient is unique, and so are their orthodontic needs. We customize treatment plans to address individual concerns and goals, whether it’s correcting misalignment, improving airway function, or both. Our personalized approach ensures optimal outcomes for every patient.
Our orthodontic approach integrates airway-focused techniques with traditional orthodontic methods, ensuring a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses both dental alignment and airway health simultaneously.
Integrated Approach
Arch Development
Creating Broad Smiles and Beautiful Faces
Much of the face you see in the mirror today was shaped before age twelve. During childhood, the jaw, palate, and airway are still developing, and that growth affects far more than appearance. It influences breathing, sleep, and overall function for life. When development is disrupted, it can lead to crowded teeth, narrow arches, restricted airways, and chronic sleep issues that continue into adulthood.
At Airway Dental & More, Dr. Neil K. Stevenson, DMD takes an airway-focused approach to facial development for patients in Jacksonville and throughout Northeast Florida. By evaluating jaw growth, tongue posture, and breathing habits together, Dr. Stevenson helps guide healthy development early when treatment can have the greatest long-term impact.
Signs of Poor Facial Development in Children
Many parents notice signs of a problem long before they connect it to jaw or airway development. These symptoms are often mistaken for allergies, behavioral issues, or poor sleep.
Common signs include:
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Mouth breathing – especially during sleep or at rest
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Crowded or crooked teeth – often caused by a narrow jaw or palate
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Long, narrow facial appearance – with a recessed chin or flattened cheeks
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Snoring or restless sleep – possible signs of airway restriction
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Jaw pain or TMJ symptoms – including popping or discomfort
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Frequent headaches or earaches – linked to facial and jaw tension
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Uneven facial appearance – which may indicate unbalanced growth
Because most facial growth is complete by age 12 in girls and 14 in boys, early evaluation is important while development can still be guided effectively.
How We Guide Facial Development
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At Airway Dental & More, Dr. Neil K. Stevenson creates personalized treatment plans based on each child’s growth, airway, and facial development needs. Every evaluation looks beyond the teeth to assess the whole face and airway.
Early Orthodontic Intervention
Early appliances can help widen the palate, create space for teeth and the tongue, and support healthier airway development, often beginning between ages 6 and 10.
Myofunctional Therapy
Targeted exercises help children improve tongue posture, nasal breathing, and swallowing patterns that support healthy facial growth.
Orthotropics
Orthotropics guides natural forward jaw and facial growth during childhood to promote better airway function and facial balance.
Advanced Diagnostics
We use CBCT scans, pharyngometry, and rhinometry to precisely evaluate airway structure and identify restrictions.
Orthodontic Treatment Options
Traditional Braces
Traditional braces are a reliable and effective way to straighten teeth and correct bite concerns. Using brackets and wires, we gradually guide teeth into proper alignment while supporting healthy arch development and long-term stability.
Clear Aligners
Our custom clear aligners provide a discreet and convenient orthodontic option. Treatment is designed to maintain full arch development while gradually improving alignment. Aligners are removable for eating and brushing, making them a flexible choice for many patients.
Teen Orthodontics
Our teen orthodontic treatments combine effective results with a lifestyle-friendly approach. We offer traditional braces, ceramic braces, and clear aligners based on each teen’s individual needs and preferences.
Orthodontic Retention
After orthodontic treatment, custom retainers help maintain your results and prevent shifting. We may also incorporate myofunctional therapy to support proper oral posture, long-term stability, and overall oral health.
Orthodontic Appliances
We offer a variety of orthodontic appliances to support proper jaw growth, arch development, and facial balance. Depending on your needs, treatment may include expanders, functional appliances, space maintainers, or custom-designed appliances.
Early Orthodontic Treatment
Early treatment allows us to guide healthy growth and development in children while addressing airway concerns, oral habits, and developing alignment issues before they become more complex.
Adult Airway Orthodontics
Orthodontic treatment isn’t just for children and teens. Our adult treatment options focus on improving alignment, oral function, airway health, and overall smile aesthetics at any age.
Advantages of Orthotropics®
This video demonstrates how orthotropic treatment can improve a child’s airway, jaw development, and facial appearance, while highlighting the benefits of starting treatment as early as age three.
This video demonstrates how orthotropic treatment can improve a child’s airway, jaw development, and facial appearance, while highlighting the benefits of starting treatment as early as age three.