Having Braces As a Kid / Jaw Structure?

[Kabuto]

Hi everyone! Random question.

I had orthodontic work/braces as a child. Shortly after that, I noticed I had sleep issues. Do you think it's possible that the orthodontic procedure might cause sleep apnea?

Important consideration. You would think not, except that there IS an oral appliance that treats sleep apnea...and the mouth is involved with getting oxygen. So by extension...could an orthodontist tinkering with your jaw /teeth during development cause these types of problems?

[chunkyfrog]

Related, yes--but causal--not readily proven.
The pre-existing structure can be more to blame.
It is complicated, and there is hope for future generations..

[palerider]

and the mouth is involved with getting oxygen.

Only if hanging open in fly catching mode.

[musculus]

Hi everyone! Random question.

I had orthodontic work/braces as a child. Shortly after that, I noticed I had sleep issues. Do you think it's possible that the orthodontic procedure might cause sleep apnea?

Important consideration. You would think not, except that there IS an oral appliance that treats sleep apnea...and the mouth is involved with getting oxygen. So by extension...could an orthodontist tinkering with your jaw /teeth during development cause these types of problems?

not remotely likely unless the orthodontic work set your lower jaw very much backward.

[ChicagoGranny]

Do you think it's possible that the orthodontic procedure might cause sleep apnea?

Did they extract any teeth? If so, how many?

[Goofproof]

I'd call it more more a gene problem, or as Microsoft would market it a Feature! Jim

[chunkyfrog]

Were you bottle-fed?
Some people blame that--promoting breast feeding.
Everybody has an agenda--their cause, their product, etc.

[Cardsfan]

Granny- I had 4 teeth extracted, then overbite teeth moved. Had 4 MORE extracted after that and repeat the process. I had a mouth full of metal back then.

[ChicagoGranny]

Granny- I had 4 teeth extracted, then overbite teeth moved. Had 4 MORE extracted after that and repeat the process. I had a mouth full of metal back then.

In a retrospective review of over 7000 men and women from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2005 to 2008, each tooth loss was associated with a 2% higher risk of having OSA based on screening questionnaires. Those who lost 5 to 8 teeth had a 25% higher chance of OSA risk compared to those who lost 1 to 4 teeth, and 36% higher risk for those that lost 9 to 31 teeth, and 61% for people with no teeth.

http://doctorstevenpark.com/can-tooth-e ... leep-apnea

[Janknitz]

Take a look at this thread: viewtopic/t98499/Orthodontics-can-cause ... rthodontia

I think there are some valid points to your concern. In those days they pulled teeth and then pulled everything BACK (remember headgear???). If the airway wasn't already narrow to begin with this could have contributed to narrowing or further narrowing.

Nowadays they do the opposite. My daughter who has the same genetic facial dysmorphism that I do (micrognathia or underdeveloped lower jaw) had orthodontia to broaden the palate to make room for all of her teeth (pulling from the outside of the teeth using something called the "Damon System") and then an appliance (Herbst appliance) to bring the lower jaw forward. She has a beautiful, patent airway as a result and a gorgeous, broad smile. Not a single tooth was pulled.

Her orthodontist claims that this system would work on me as well (albeit for a much longer course of treatment) but at my age (getting close to 60) and under our financial constraints it's not really feasible. I'm just so grateful my daughter had such a good result.

Given the nightmarish state of my mouth before orthodontia (teeth folding up over one another), my mother would have said the same thing though . . . They did the best they could with the state of the art at the time. I don't put the blame on the orthodontist who treated me for causing my OSA. I would have had it regardless because of genetics and probably the lousy diet of the 50's and 60's. (Cultures that nurse their babies and eat their native, traditional diet don't have these orthodontia issues we do).

[zoocrewphoto]

Given the nightmarish state of my mouth before orthodontia (teeth folding up over one another), my mother would have said the same thing though . . . They did the best they could with the state of the art at the time. I don't put the blame on the orthodontist who treated me for causing my OSA. I would have had it regardless because of genetics and probably the lousy diet of the 50's and 60's. (Cultures that nurse their babies and eat their native, traditional diet don't have these orthodontia issues we do).

Same here. Back then, they didn't know that removing the teeth could worsen the odds of developing sleep apnea. I don't think it caused it since I was genetically programmed with this narrow airway and small chin/mouth. My mom has the same thing and did NOT get orthodontic work, and she has sleep apnea too. I do think that they have now learned how to correct the problem and help prevent or reduce sleep apnea.

[Cardsfan]

Yep, I had that awful headgear that pulled back my teeth into the spot made available by removing 4 teeth. I had that done TWO times. So 8 teeth in total when in Junior high school. In college, I then had 3 wisdom teeth cut out, I only had 3. So a total of 11 teeth. Jeez Louise!!!!

[chunkyfrog]

I lost 4--but never had wisdom teeth at all--was told I never even had the buds. 23 left.