Airway Treatment

Airway Treatment in Birmingham & Milford

Breathe Better With Airway Treatment

At Degenhardt Orthodontics, we take a thoughtful, non-invasive approach to airway health—offering evaluations and treatment that support better breathing, better sleep, and a healthier life.

Palatal Expansion for Airway Health

Airway health begins with structure. A narrow palate or underdeveloped jaw can affect how you breathe, sleep, and feel every day. We use orthopedic expansion to gently create more room in the airway—helping kids grow better and adults breathe easier.

Early intervention is especially powerful. In children, expansion can support nasal breathing, guide facial development, and reduce future risk of airway-related issues. We focus on pre-teens to take advantage of natural growth and minimize the need for more complex treatment later.

Adult Expansion

Palatal Expansion is also possible for adults. Using advanced techniques like MARPE (Mini-Implant Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion) or SARPE (Surgically Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion), we can widen the upper jaw to support nasal airflow and make space for proper bite alignment.

Dr. Degenhardt works in coordination with local oral surgeons to deliver comfortable, effective care.

Breathing Well Starts Early

At Degenhardt Orthodontics, we evaluate every child’s airway as part of their orthodontic exam. Addressing sleep-disordered breathing early can support better sleep, healthier development, and improved day-to-day functioning.

Signs of Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Kids

Many children with airway issues show symptoms that are easy to overlook. These can include snoring more than three nights a week, mouth breathing, gasping during sleep, or grinding their teeth. You might also notice dry mouth in the morning, restless sleep, or unusual sleeping positions—like their head arching back to open the airway.

Daytime symptoms may look like behavior problems or learning difficulties. Kids with compromised airways often struggle to focus, act out in school, or get labeled as lazy or inattentive. Other signs include frequent ear infections, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, and bed-wetting beyond the typical age.

Treatment Options

Once an airway concern is identified, we focus on guiding growth in the right direction. Depending on your child’s needs, we may recommend maxillary expansion to widen the nasal airway or maxillary protraction to create space behind the upper jaw.

Myofunctional therapy may also help—retraining the tongue to rest in a healthier position to support ideal jaw growth. In some cases, we’ll refer to an ENT if enlarged tonsils or adenoids are contributing to the problem.

When to Schedule an Evaluation

If you’ve noticed signs of disrupted breathing or poor sleep, don’t wait. Airway issues caught early are easier to treat and can change the course of your child’s health and development.

At Degenhardt Orthodontics, airway exams are part of our standard evaluation—we don’t charge extra and we don’t over-recommend treatment. If there is an issue or an indication for treatment, then Dr. Steve will walk you through the next steps

Adult Airway Treatment

Many adults struggle with sleep apnea, snoring, or daytime fatigue—often caused by a narrow airway or poor jaw position. While devices like CPAP can treat symptoms, they don’t address the source of the problem.

At Degenhardt Orthodontics, we focus on long-term solutions. By expanding or repositioning the upper and lower jaws, we can improve airflow and reduce airway collapse. In some cases, this eliminates the need for sleep appliances altogether.

If you’ve been diagnosed with OSA or suspect your sleep could be better, we’ll work with your healthcare team to explore treatment options that improve your breathing and your quality of life.

Airway treatment is most effective when approached with a multi-disciplinary team. Dr. Steve collaborates with trusted specialists—including sleep medicine doctors, ENTs, general dentists, and others—to ensure each patient receives comprehensive care tailored to their unique needs.

Better Sleep Starts Here

We don’t charge extra for airway evaluations—and we don’t oversell treatment. If we see something concerning, we’ll explain what we’re seeing and talk about next steps.

Schedule a free consultation at Degenhardt Orthodontics to learn how airway-focused care can support your health—at any age.