The most impactful time to address jaw development is between ages five and seven.
Early intervention orthodontics allows us to guide your child’s jaw growth during their most critical development period. By this age, 60 to 70% of jaw growth has already occurred, creating an urgent window for treatment before 90% is complete by age 12. Children who receive early treatment often need minimal or no braces later, with about 25% achieving properly aligned permanent teeth without additional orthodontics. We use specialized expanders designed for young patients that gently widen jaws to age-appropriate dimensions.
Early treatment addresses far more than crooked teeth. Parents notice their children sleeping better, focusing more easily in school, and experiencing fewer respiratory issues. Many children come off their asthma inhalers, see resolution of chronic ear infections, and develop better facial proportions. Dr. Silva has trained directly with pediatric airway dentistry pioneers and treats patients as young as two years old when symptoms warrant intervention. As a mother of four who has treated all her own children using these techniques, she understands both the science and the parent perspective of early intervention.
Your age doesn’t limit your ability to improve your breathing and overall health.
Adult orthodontics at our practice focuses on expanding jaws and opening airways, not just straightening teeth. We provide non-surgical alternatives for patients who have been told they need jaw surgery but prefer less invasive options. While adult treatment takes longer than childhood intervention because we’re working with established bone structure, patients regularly report life-changing improvements in sleep quality, energy levels, and athletic performance. We use sophisticated expansion techniques that work even after growth plates have closed.
Many adults come to us after completing orthodontics years ago but still struggling with breathing issues, chronic fatigue, or teeth that have shifted again. Others experience sleep apnea, grinding, or have been told they need a CPAP machine but want to address root causes. Our additive techniques create space rather than remove it through tooth extractions or enamel reduction. Dr. Silva customizes every adult treatment plan, often spending hours reviewing and modifying designs to ensure optimal results for both airway function and aesthetics. Treatment typically spans 12 to 24 months, with breathing improvements often noticeable within the first few months.
The teen years still offer significant opportunities for jaw development and airway improvement.
Teen orthodontics addresses both the aesthetic concerns teenagers care about and the health issues affecting their daily lives. While 90% of jaw growth is complete by age 12, that remaining 10% matters, and teen bones respond more readily to orthodontic forces than adult bones. We can achieve results in teenagers that would require surgery in adults, making intervention during these years critical. Many teens struggle with undiagnosed airway issues that manifest as chronic fatigue, difficulty concentrating, poor athletic performance, or behavioral concerns.
We offer both traditional braces combined with expansion appliances and clear aligner options for teens who prefer discretion. Treatment plans are individualized based on your teen’s specific needs, growth stage, and lifestyle. Better breathing transforms every aspect of teen life, from academic performance to athletic abilities to social confidence. Teens no longer deal with embarrassment about snoring, needing inhalers during sports, or falling asleep in class. We coordinate with other specialists when needed, including myofunctional therapists who help retrain breathing and tongue patterns for lasting results.
Not all Invisalign treatment delivers the same results.
Our Invisalign approach differs fundamentally from conventional providers because we design treatment to expand your jaws rather than compress them. While most providers simply accept computer-generated treatment plans, we override standard algorithms and manually customize each movement to achieve airway expansion alongside tooth alignment. This requires reviewing and modifying each design four or five times on average before approving your aligners. Dr. Silva ranks in the top five Invisalign providers in her region despite working part-time, reflecting her advanced technique and consistent outcomes.
Conventional Invisalign often makes airways smaller by extracting teeth or removing enamel to make teeth fit existing space. We take the opposite approach, expanding jaws to proper dimensions so all teeth fit naturally. This customization process is time-intensive but ensures your treatment improves both your smile and your ability to breathe. Teens and adults both benefit from our technique, experiencing improvements in sleep quality, energy levels, and overall health as their airways open during treatment. The technology allows us to treat complex cases that once required braces or surgery, all while maintaining the convenience and discretion of clear aligners.
Jaw expansion forms the foundation of our airway-focused approach.
We use specialized expanders that gently guide jaw growth to proper dimensions, creating space for your tongue and opening your airway. For young children, we design custom devices that work with their natural development. These expanders can often be removed for eating and brushing, making them more comfortable than traditional fixed appliances. As jaws widen, patients breathe easier through their nose, sleep better, and experience improved overall health. The expansion process typically lasts several months to over a year depending on how much growth is needed.
Adults and teens also benefit from expansion therapy, though the techniques differ from those used in children. We may combine expanders with other orthodontic treatments to achieve comprehensive results. Some patients also wear headgear at night to guide forward jaw growth, maximizing airway space. Every expansion protocol is carefully monitored and adjusted based on your progress. Our additive approach always focuses on creating more space rather than removing teeth or reducing enamel, working with your body’s natural capacity for change to improve both function and appearance.
Understanding your unique situation is the first step toward better health.
Our comprehensive airway consultations examine your jaw structure, breathing patterns, sleep quality, and overall health concerns. We use advanced diagnostic technology including 3D imaging to assess your airway dimensions and identify restrictions. Dr. Silva takes time to connect the dots between symptoms you may not have realized were related, explaining how jaw development affects everything from sleep to athletic performance to cognitive function. You’ll leave your consultation with a clear understanding of what’s happening in your body and how treatment can help.
We evaluate patients of all ages, from toddlers showing early signs of underdevelopment to adults who have struggled for years with unexplained fatigue or breathing issues. Our consultations are educational experiences where you learn to recognize signs of airway restriction and understand treatment options. We never pressure you into immediate decisions. Instead, we provide the information you need to make confident choices about your or your child’s care. Whether you’re concerned about your child’s enlarged tonsils and frequent ear infections, or you’re an adult tired of waking up exhausted despite sleeping eight hours, our consultations help you understand the path toward lasting improvements.
We commonly collaborate with other healthcare professionals to offer specialized care for complex dental cases and are committed to providing the best for your patients.
