05/16/2025
Longterm, life-long, ptimal breathing is one of the principle reasons why I check babies' palates, lip and tongue ties.
Optimal growth of the palate is too often overlooked, and corrective measures often put in place too late, with a focus on the teeth instead of the overall structure.
Did you know that a lack of spacing between baby teeth is a clear sign of severe dental crowding of adult teeth ahead? It reflects that the palate hasn’t grown properly.
The palate is the floor of the nose and the housing for our tongue. An underdeveloped palate means there will be some degree of airflow limitation, which can affect sleep quality. A narrow palate is a well-recognised risk factor for obstructive sleep apnoea.
Traditionally, early orthodontics with palate expansion begins around age 7–8 years, after the first adult teeth have come in. However, eight years ago I took the leap and expanded my youngest daughter at age 6. She had persistent night-time symptoms of disturbed breathing after removal of her adenoids and tonsils, and after seeing so many breathing improvements in my older patients, I decided I didn’t want to wait.
The functional, structural, and facial results were much better than waiting for the adult teeth to come through. Although it’s not always avoidable, she never required braces, and she has a broad and beautiful smile.
I have since done expansion for children as young as 3.5 years, but my favourite age is 5.5 to 6 years if there are no major functional concerns warranting earlier treatment. At this age, we can often create more bone for the adult teeth to come through better, optimise sleep and breathing, and improve tongue space — restoring more normal tongue posture, function, and a better direction of facial development.
Disclaimer:
Any orthodontic procedure carries risk, and individual results may vary.
Before proceeding with treatment, you should seek a second opinion from a specialist orthodontist.
