Alright, I’ve got to admit – when I see someone with a mouth full of snaggletooth, my instinct is to smile back with my perfect, gorgeous straight chompers. Just ask my wife!
But in all seriousness, having crooked or misaligned teeth as an adult is no laughing matter. It can make you feel super self-conscious about your smile and appearance. Trust me, I get it.
Here’s the thing though – your crooked grill may be indicating much more than just a cosmetic issue. Believe it or not, the positioning of your teeth can actually reveal a lot about the development of your underlying mouth structures and ability to breathe properly.
See, when teeth come in crowded or crookedly, it’s often a red flag that the oral cavity hasn’t formed in an ideal way from childhood. And an underdeveloped oral cavity can pave the way for all sorts of breathing difficulties down the road…including disruptive sleep issues like snoring and sleep apnea!
What Crooked Teeth Reveal
Okay, let’s start with the basics – our teeth are designed to fit together in a very precise, aligned way. Like the pieces of a puzzle, they’re meant to gently interlock and meet up perfectly.
But when teeth start developing in a crooked, mashed-together sort of way, it’s usually because there simply isn’t enough space or volume in the mouth for them to assume that ideal positioning. Maybe the arches are too narrow, or the jaws didn’t quite grow to their full potential as a kid.
Whatever the case, having a snaggletooth situation isn’t just an aesthetic problem. It can indicate underlying oral restrictions and sleep apnea symptom that impact your ability to breathe easily, especially while you sleep.
You see, if your arches are too cramped or narrow, it literally leaves inadequate room for your tongue to posture and rest in a natural way. And having your tongue poorly positioned can physically obstruct and block your airway while you’re snoozing away on your back or side each night!
That’s what leads to all those disruptive sleep issues like loud snoring, repetitive breathing cessations (sleep apnea), constant tossing and turning, and waking up feeling like you got zero rest at all. Not an ideal situation!
The Impacts of Poor Sleep
Look, sleep apnea is no joke and more prevalent than you might think. Experts say a staggering 22 million Americans suffer from some degree of sleep apnea…yet the vast majority have no clue they actually stopped breathing repeatedly all night long!
So how can you tell if you might be one of those millions? Well, some red flags include:
Persistent, loud, disruptive snoring (that makes your sleep partner want to smother you)
Feeling groggy, fatigued, and sluggish during the day no matter how much rest
Tossing and turning, frequent nighttime awakenings, restless sleep
Difficulty concentrating, focusing or remembering things
For kids/teens, failure to grow or experience normal developmental milestones
And those are just the more obvious tip-of-the-iceberg symptoms! The truth is, chronically deprived sleep from obstructed breathing can wreak absolute havoc on your entire body and mind over time.
We’re talking things like weight gain, hormone disruptions, excessive strain on your cardiovascular system…even increased risks of depression, irritability, and other mood disorders. All because your brain and body aren’t able to cycle through those vital restorative sleep stages overnight!
For many adults and children alike, the root issue enabling this lack of quality sleep stems from oral factors we talked about earlier – having cramped, narrow arches and jaws that don’t provide enough space for proper tongue posturing and unrestricted airflow.
Orthodontic Caveats
Okay, I know what you’re probably thinking: “But wait? Don’t devices like orthodontic retainers, expanders, or aligners help correct jaw and breathing issues? Can’t they just fix this?”
Well, here’s the reality – while getting orthodontic treatments can certainly help to improve the positioning and alignment of your teeth, most of those solutions are specifically focused on straightening out your smile. They aren’t really designed to address the underlying problems with your oral cavity’s development itself.
See, traditional orthodontia aims to crowding the teeth into the existing space of your jaw, not actually expanding or developing the oral cavity. Which doesn’t do a whole lot if the root issue is that your arches and dental arches never formed or grew properly in the first place!
In fact, a lot of times using oral devices or orthodontic appliances can arguably make the breathing situation worse. By forcing your teeth into alignment, you’re left with that same cramped, narrow airway and restricted breathing ability. Just with a straighter smile!
That’s why more dentists are looking into first solving organ airway and breathing dysfunction through methods that promote unrestricted nasal airflow. Only then can you rebuild proper oral alignment on top of that foundation.
The Revolutionary Vivos Treatment
One of the most innovative, comprehensive solutions for this is a treatment called Vivos. Vivos was developed by Dr. Dave Singh DDS and under clinical research for over the past decade. Vivos is the best sleep apnea treatment Honolulu has ever seen!
It’s an FDA cleared regimen that focuses on remodeling and expanding the oral cavity itself to establish an optimal airway. This is done using a progressive series of customized oral appliances and techniques that apply gentle, light forces to the mouth over time.
The key thing about Vivos is how the appliances are designed to promote proper tongue positioning and lip closure. By retraining the oral musculature in this way, it actually allows the arches and structures in the oral cavity to expand and develop.
As this process continues over a 12-24 month treatment period, the appliances create more and more space in the oral environment. This allows the tongue to posture naturally and prevents any obstructions or blockages that could hinder nasal breathing.
Pretty cool right? Imagine being able to breathe unrestricted day and night without any sleep apnea issues or relying on CPAP machines or devices!
A Permanent Solution
What really makes the Vivos treatment unique from other oral treatments is how it aims to essentially remodel and reset your oral physiology to facilitate proper nasal breathing.
By promoting ideal tongue posturing and establishing maximum possible arch development over an extended treatment period…the end result is creating a permanent, optimal airway shape and volume.
This means no obstructions, obstructive conditions, or breathing dysfunction could potentially resurface later on in life like they traditionally do with surface-level treatments or procedures.
With the root cause fully eliminated through the jaws, arches, and physiological oral posturing corrected for good…patients experience a level of unrestricted breathing ability and sleep quality that was previously unattainable.
So, while nighttime oral devices or orthodontic procedures can offer some relief by managing the symptoms…Vivos takes things a big step further by comprehensively addressing issues at the source. It’s a whole-body CPAP alternative approach that brings the form back into alignment with the intended function!
Pretty powerful stuff when you really think about it. Taking something as vital as breathing – which brings life to every cell and biological process in the body – and fully optimizing it.
The Breathing Difference
You know, one of the biggest benefits patients notice after completing Vivos treatment is how they’re finally able to experience what it’s truly like to breathe easily and naturally again – in through the nose, out through the nose, 24/7.
No more battling against their own body, trying to suck in enough air through cramped nasal passages. No more relying on machines or devices that simply force oxygen down restricted airways, rather than opening them up.
With Vivos expanding and optimizing that entire oral cavity over the course of 12-24 months, you get to tap into your body’s full breathing potential. And full, free breathing isn’t just about sounding less Darth Vader-ish when you sleep!
It means your body is finally able to achieve those deep, refreshing levels of REM and restorative sleep cycles that allow you to wake up feeling rejuvenated and ready to tackle the day. You’ve got energy, focus, and can think clearly without feeling that familiar apnea brain fog.
Plus, you’re giving your body the oxygen levels it needs to function at its absolute best – powering muscles, organs, hormone production and more. No more dealing with excessive fatigue, poor physical recovery, irritability or other side effects of chronic sleep deprivation.
For kids and teens still in those crucial developmental years, it’s a total game changer. With Vivos eliminating any breathing roadblocks, they’re able to grow and thrive the way nature intended instead of falling behind.
Conclusion
Breathe Freely By Addressing The Root Cause with Dr. Eugene Azuma
If you suffer from crooked teeth, misaligned jaws, sleep apnea, or any breathing dysfunction, it’s time to stop masking the symptoms and tackle the root physiological causes. Dr. Eugene Azuma has years of specialized expertise in using the revolutionary Vivos system to permanently optimize oral development and airway health.
Here’s how Dr. Azuma can guide you through the Vivos process:
Comprehensive evaluation of your oral anatomy, breathing patterns and sleep issues
Customized treatment plan with the progressive Vivos oral appliances and techniques
Monitoring and adjustments as your arches expand gradually over 12-24 months
Myofunctional coaching on proper tongue posture, swallowing, and nasal breathing
The potential to achieve a straighter, broader smile naturally
Don’t resign yourself to a lifetime of breathing limitations, fatigue, orthodontic relapse, or disrupted sleep. Find the ideal customized solution by scheduling an evaluationwith Dr. Eugene Azuma’s practice.
Can crooked teeth actually cause sleep apnea? How?
Yes, misaligned or crowded teeth often indicate a narrow oral cavity that can obstruct breathing. The tongue is forced back into the airway causing snoring and apnea events.
What’s the difference between orthodontic treatments and a method like Vivos?
Traditional orthodontics focus only on straightening visible teeth into existing arch space. Vivos addresses airway issues by developing and expanding the oral cavity itself.
How does Vivos allow teeth to straighten themselves out without braces?
As Vivos appliances gradually make more space in the arches over time, teeth can naturally align themselves into the increased volume without being pulled/forced.
Is Vivos treatment just for kids/teens or can adults do it too?
Vivos can be done at any age, including adults! It’s all about optimizing oral development whenever breathing issues or orthodontic relapse occurs.
Will medical/dental insurance policies help cover costs for Vivos treatment?
Many medical and dental plans offer coverage for Vivos and sleep/airway treatments when properly diagnosed and coded. Dr. Azuma’s team can assist with maximizing any available benefits.
