Ask Dr. Deborah Fung: Airway Dentistry Q&A

At Designing Smiles, we don’t just look at teeth—we look at how your jaws, tongue, nose, and throat work together to help you breathe and sleep. This Q&A with Dr. Deborah Fung explains airway-focused dentistry in plain English: what it is, who it helps (kids and adults), how we evaluate it, and which treatments may improve breathing, sleep quality, and long-term oral health.

1) What exactly is airway dentistry—and how is it different from traditional dentistry?

Airway dentistry is a comprehensive approach that considers how your teeth, jaws, tongue posture, and nasal passages affect breathing—especially during sleep. In addition to routine dental care, we may use growth-friendly orthodontics to widen a narrow upper jaw, myofunctional therapy to retrain tongue and lip function, and modern imaging to understand airway size and areas of constriction. The goal is not only a healthy smile, but better airflow and sleep quality. Evidence shows maxillary expansion can increase nasal cavity dimensions and reduce airway resistance in appropriate patients. PubMedFrontiers in Oral Medicine

2) Why is proper airway function so important for overall health—not just oral health?

When airflow is restricted during sleep, oxygen levels can drop and sleep becomes fragmented. Over time, this can lead to daytime sleepiness, headaches, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, and elevated long-term health risks. Treating sleep-disordered breathing can meaningfully improve daytime energy and cognitive function. PMCAASM

3) What are some warning signs of airway-related issues?

Children: mouth breathing, snoring, restless sleep, night sweats, frequent awakenings, bedwetting, and ADHD-like behavior or school difficulties.
Adults: loud snoring, gasping or witnessed pauses, morning headaches, dry mouth, unrefreshing sleep, daytime sleepiness, reduced focus. These signs deserve an evaluation—especially if they persist. NCBIAAPD

4) How can parents tell if their children might be experiencing airway problems?

Look for regular mouth breathing (awake or asleep), snoring, noisy breathing, restless sleep, bedwetting after prior control, picky or difficult feeding, and daytime inattentiveness or behavior concerns at school. Pediatric OSA often shows up as behavior and learning issues rather than “sleepiness.” Early assessment helps guide growth-friendly solutions and referrals when needed. NCBIAAPD

5) What tests or screenings are performed in your office to check for airway concerns?

• Comprehensive exam: breathing pattern, nasal vs. mouth breathing, tongue posture, tonsil size, jaw growth, sleep symptoms.
• Digital imaging: when indicated, CBCT (3D X-ray) helps assess airway volume and areas of narrowing; panoramic X-rays assist with growth/eruption. CBCT can quantify airway volumes, though protocols and interpretation matter. PMCThe Open Dentistry Journal
• Sleep testing: if symptoms suggest sleep apnea, we coordinate formal sleep studies (polysomnography) with sleep medicine or ENT specialists (gold standard for diagnosis). AAPD
• Myofunctional assessment: evaluates tongue/lip function, nasal breathing, and swallowing patterns.

6) What are some treatment options for airway issues?

Treatment is personalized and may include:

• Orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT): exercises to improve nasal breathing, tongue posture, and swallowing—shown to reduce snoring and OSA severity as an adjunct therapy. PMC+1
• Orthodontic expansion and aligners: guided widening of a narrow palate can increase nasal cavity dimensions and improve airflow in the right patients (children and some adults). Options include tooth-borne, hybrid, or mini-implant assisted devices. PubMedScienceDirect
• MSE/MARPE (for teens/adults): bone-anchored expansion to widen the upper jaw and nasal floor when growth is limited; studies show increases in nasal cavity volume and favorable airway changes in many cases. PMC+1
• Tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) release: when a restrictive frenum impairs tongue mobility and function, frenotomy/frenuloplasty—ideally paired with therapy—may improve oral function and, in selected cases, sleep-related symptoms. Evidence is growing, especially in children, but remains an evolving area. PMC+1

We also routinely co-manage with ENTs, allergists, and sleep physicians for nasal obstruction, enlarged tonsils/adenoids, allergies, or confirmed sleep apnea.

7) How does airway dentistry help with sleep apnea, snoring, or mouth breathing?

By addressing structure and function:

• OMT and oral appliances/expansion can help maintain airway patency during sleep and reduce snoring/OSA severity in appropriate cases. PMC
• MSE/MARPE can widen the nasal passages and reduce resistance. PMC
• Tongue-tie care (when functionally restrictive) improves tongue posture/seal and supports nasal breathing. We still rely on sleep testing to diagnose and track outcomes. PMC

8) Can airway-focused treatment prevent future dental problems like crowding or bite issues?

Often, yes—especially when started early. Guided expansion and growth-friendly orthodontics can create room for erupting teeth and support more favorable jaw development, reducing future crowding or crossbites. In growing patients, rapid maxillary expansion is a first-line orthopedic approach for transverse deficiency and can also benefit the nasal cavity. MDPI

9) How can improving someone’s airway impact daily energy, focus, and sleep quality?

Better airflow during sleep means fewer arousals, more stable oxygen levels, and deeper sleep stages—translating to improved daytime alertness, mood, attention, and performance (for kids and adults). Treating sleep-disordered breathing is associated with meaningful improvements in cognition and behavior. PMC+1

10) If someone suspects they have airway problems, what’s the first step?

Schedule an airway evaluation. We’ll review symptoms, examine growth and function, and decide whether imaging or a referral for a sleep study is appropriate. From there, we craft a personalized plan—this may include myofunctional therapy, orthodontic expansion, collaboration with ENT/sleep medicine, or a combination—to help you breathe easier and sleep better. Formal diagnosis of sleep apnea is made via sleep testing and managed in coordination with medical specialists. AAPD

Airway dentistry is about treating the cause, not just the symptoms. In Roseville and the greater Twin Cities area, Dr. Deborah Fung and the Designing Smiles team partner with families, ENTs, and sleep physicians to deliver evidence-guided care. If you or your child snores, mouth-breathes, or struggles with sleep, we’re here to help you find answers—and breathe better.

Dr. Deborah Fung

Dr. Deborah Fung earned her dental degree with honors in 1992 from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. In addition to serving as a dental officer in the Minnesota Army National Guard for 12 years, she has also continued her education in many areas of dentistry, including orthodontics, endodontics (root canal therapy), implants, cosmetic dentistry, and oral surgery.