Assessment of jaw, palate and airway structure to identify contributors to snoring, mouth breathing and obstructive sleep apnoea.
The shape of the jaw and palate, the position of the tongue and the size of the airway all affect breathing during sleep. Dentists with airway training screen for these during examination, and can offer oral appliance therapy, myofunctional referral, or onward referral for a sleep study. In children the emphasis is on identifying restricted growth patterns early, while intervention is still straightforward.