Breathing, sleeping, and thriving—it’s all connected. But sleep disorders are becoming increasingly recognized as a growing concern for children across the country. Nine out of 10 kids suffer from one or more symptoms including mouth breathing, snoring, bed wetting, delayed growth, nightmares, ADD/ADHD, restless sleep, difficulty in school, overbite/overjet, and crowded teeth, just to name a few. If left untreated, there may be a significant impact on the child’s full growth and development potential.
The central issue for many children suffering from the effects of sleep-related breathing disorders is a compromised airway. When a child’s airway is narrow, underdeveloped, or constricted in any way, the child will struggle to receive enough oxygen and may resort to mouth breathing, which compounds the issue by creating inflammation. Crowded teeth can force the tongue backwards into the throat, further restricting the airway.
Conventional treatment options such as prescription drugs, surgery, braces, and even academic tutors have been limiting and ineffective, mainly because they do not address the core issue. None of them actually promote or develop a child’s airway and help them get the oxygen and sleep they need to be healthy.
“We can’t stress enough the importance of parents recognizing the symptoms,” says Dr. Mike O’Donnell, founder of the TMJ & Sleep Center, Emerald Coast (EC). “It is critical to get help, especially when children are young and their bodies are able to adjust and mold—particularly in the mouth and bone structure.”
Through the use of proprietary, FDA-cleared and non-invasive systems, TMJ & Sleep Center, EC is able to treat the underlying root cause, which consequently resolves the symptoms related to sleep-disordered breathing. This is a key and unique differentiator. Many patients have chronic health issues that are often seemingly unrelated. However, in most cases, the symptoms are usually linked to the same underlying cause. When patients are symptom-free, it is unlikely they will experience any relapse as long as they follow the prescribed protocol.
A leading dental practitioner, Dr. O’Donnell, founder of Great Florida Smiles & Orthodontics in 2005, opened TMJ & Sleep Center, EC in early 2019 to bring quality comprehensive treatment of TMJ and sleep disorders to patients in Northwest Florida and surrounding area. Dr. Chris Farrugia, also with the practice, began treating sleep disorders at his private dental practice in 2013 and has been diagnosing and treating TMD/TMJ for over 25 years. He joined TMJ & Sleep Center, EC upon its founding. With their combined training in advanced dentistry, orthodontics, dental sleep medicine, and TMJ/TMD, they are ideally suited to diagnose and treat the core cause of sleep breathing disorders.
“At the end the day our mission is to educate parents, and help children breathe properly so they can continue to learn, grow, and blossom. They will also develop a beautiful smile,” says Dr. O’Donnell.
TMJ & Sleep Center, EC also treats adults for obstructive sleep apnea, TMJ/head and facial pain. The medical experts offer treatment options that are non-surgical, non-invasive, and an alternative to standard machines like the CPAP that can improve a patient’s quality of life and health.
The state-of-the-art medical facility is located in Santa Rosa Beach and is currently accepting new patients, both children and adults. Visit www.TMJSleepCenterEC.com to learn more or call (850) 608-1850 to schedule an initial screening and consultation.
