Breathing, Snoring Sleep, and Braces: What’s the Real Story?

Getting a good night’s sleep is a big deal. It helps you learn, grow, play sport, and feel like yourself. But some children have trouble breathing properly while they sleep. This is called sleep-disordered breathing.

It can range from regular loud snoring to a more serious condition called obstructive sleep apnoea. In sleep apnoea, breathing can stop and start many times during the night.

A group of orthodontic experts in America has updated its advice about this topic. Their main message is simple: breathing problems during sleep need to be checked by the right medical professional.

What can an orthodontist do?

An orthodontist is a dentist who helps guide how teeth and jaws develop. They might notice clues that a child could have sleep-breathing problems, such as questions about snoring or feeling very tired in the daytime.

But an orthodontist cannot diagnose sleep apnoea just by looking at someone’s teeth, jaw, or an X-ray. If they are worried, they can help by suggesting that the child and their family speak to a doctor or sleep specialist.

The best test for finding obstructive sleep apnoea is usually an overnight sleep study. It measures what happens while someone is asleep.

Can braces stop sleep problems?

Not necessarily. The experts found no good evidence that orthodontic treatment can prevent sleep-disordered breathing from happening in the future.

That means braces, expanders, or special jaw appliances should not be sold as a guaranteed way to prevent snoring or sleep apnoea. Some of these treatments may still be useful for a person’s teeth or bite, but they should only be considered as part of a proper plan after a medical diagnosis.

For example, widening the upper jaw with an expander may be right for someone who needs it for orthodontic reasons and also has a confirmed sleep problem. But it is not a magic “sleep cure” for everyone.

What about tongue ties and tooth removal?

The updated advice says there is no evidence that tongue ties cause obstructive sleep apnoea. So cutting a tongue tie as a routine treatment for sleep-breathing problems is not supported by the evidence.

The experts also found no evidence that taking out teeth for orthodontic treatment causes sleep-disordered breathing. Moving teeth backwards does not automatically make someone’s airway too small either.

The important takeaway

Sleep-breathing problems are complicated. They can have many different causes, and different children may need different help.

The best care happens when health professionals work together. Doctors, sleep specialists, dentists, orthodontists, and families can all have a part to play.

If you or someone you know snores loudly, seems to stop breathing during sleep, wakes up often, or is always exhausted in the daytime, tell a parent or trusted adult. The next step is to talk with a doctor—not to jump straight to a dental treatment.

This post is based on Kevin O’Brien’s summary of the American Association of Orthodontists’ updated recommendations.