The conservative view of traditional orthodontics, according to which the position of the teeth and jawbones only developed by itself and is not connected to anything, as well as only developed due to genetic reasons, has become outdated. In genetic theories, epigenetic factors (environmental effects) came to the fore, i.e. genetic information is a predisposing factor and not a determining factor. The recognition of this, i.e. that the position of the teeth and jawbone and the function of the lips, tongue, and masticatory muscles are related, led to the development of myofunctional orthodontics. In other words, it can be said that the principles of myofunctional orthodontics are much closer to real relationships than the genetic concept. Myofunctional orthodontics is therefore much closer to health-oriented orthodontics, there are many similarities in goals:

Closed lip position
Stable nasal breathing
Ideal swallowing function
The difference is in the procedure. The concept of myofunctional trainers is based on the fact that there is no need for a device manufactured in a laboratory, and that devices can be given to patients quickly, regardless of their laboratory background. Many elements have been incorporated into the device in order to support closed lips and nasal breathing, and the arches created for the teeth also move the teeth.

Challenges with trainers are:

not all doctors who use a trainer give exercises, i.e. the patient is left alone and cannot get his body used to the trainer. Many patients stop wearing the trainer because they cannot keep it in their mouth
The thick soft material makes the patient clench their teeth. This works to some extent in shaping the dentures, but is not necessarily beneficial
Trainer treatment is not suitable for all dental arch forms and tooth congestion, so pre-treatment is required, which requires a laboratory background
If all treatment phases are carried out, i.e. the patient uses the trainer for a long time and squeezes at night, it can indeed treat the overbite between the incisors, but not only the lower jaw bone comes forward (which would be the ideal goal), but also the upper teeth and the middle face move back
In myofunctional orthodontics, there are clinics where some swallowing and breathing exercises are given, but in many cases a separate speech therapist and/or physiotherapist is required, for which you have to go to separate places

HermannOrtho Health-Centered Orthodontics works with individually manufactured devices, our goal is that the device is easy to get used to, suitable for all dental conditions, and we shape the jawbone position using the principle of gradualness to avoid side effects. The exercises also affect posture, they are given as part of the treatment in the doctor’s office and there is no need to go to a separate place

Conditions for completing childhood, early health-focused orthodontics:

The ideal dental arch forms have been developed, all permanent teeth have their place
The jawbones are ideally and harmoniously positioned. The asymmetry has disappeared, there is no overbite between the incisors.
There is a significant improvement in closing the lips, nasal breathing, and swallowing
In this case, the active treatment can end, the bonded orthodontic appliances are removed, or if the treatment was with a removable appliance, a maintenance appliance is made instead of the active appliance (not in all cases). When the active treatment ends, a period begins when we want to ensure the achieved jawbone position, dental arch size and arranged incisor position by the time of the tooth change without hindering the tooth change. For these purposes, we provide a temporary placeholder. This can be a 3D printed trainer that we manufacture in the lab based on a scan of the mouth, or another removable device that we also manufacture for the patient. These devices are typically in the mouth at night, for an additional 1 hour a day, to strengthen and maintain the function. This period is called the care period and lasts until the end of the tooth change. During this time, we meet every 3 months and each time we ask the patient to bring their device, which we check.

Have you ever noticed that your child’s mouth opens during sleep or when he is absorbed in something (for example, watching TV, drawing, studying)? These are certainly the first symptoms of persistent mouth breathing, and it is advisable to act against it immediately so that it does not become permanent!

What problems does mouth breathing cause?

The organ of breathing is the nose. When breathing through the mouth, air is not filtered, heated and the sinuses are ventilated, resulting in asthma, inflammation of the sinuses and sinuses, various upper respiratory problems, and later behavioral and learning disorders due to sleep problems, reflux, circulatory disorders or high blood pressure. blood pressure can also develop (even in childhood).
A constant symptom is restless sleep, waking up at night, nightmares, and occasional urination.
The body’s carbon dioxide level decreases, which is why the regeneration of cells deteriorates, which also leads to sleep disorders, fatigue, and insomnia. Overall, the child’s well-being, performance and mood deteriorate significantly.
Physical symptoms of mouth breathing include an elongated face, underdeveloped dental arches, and baggy, ring-shaped eyes. These are serious changes that require much more serious and long-term treatment in adulthood.
Traditional orthodontics does not deal with the above problems, it merely focuses on creating a beautiful smile (ignoring, among other things, the muscles around the mouth, the quality of breathing, and posture). Thus, traditional orthodontics is only a real, long-term solution to the problem in very few cases. However, all of this can be prevented and treated quickly and effectively with health-oriented orthodontics!

The position of teeth is not exclusively genetically determined. Genetics is a determining factor but in reality the position of the teeth is rather a momentary image of how balanced the body is. Early recognition helps us a lot with getting to know what changes have to be made. As early as the age of 3-5 we can see the signs based on which we can plan what is worth to do in order to achieve a beautiful smile and a healthy child.

The short answer is yes, it can! One part of it is the position of teeth. In a great number of cases at a later age much more intense treatment is required because dental distortion becomes much bigger. Tooth extraction or orthognathic surgery (corrective jaw surgery) often occur later. The other part is the functional difference associated with the position of teeth. If we fail to recognize in time the complexity of the problem, it might lead to learning disorders, sleeping disorders, jaw pain or a disadvantageous facial development. Make sure to consult us so we can assess your current condition!

Since the crooked position of teeth is part of a complex problem, the assessment and treatment both have to be firmly grounded. Teeth are not simply in their given position because of genetics. The tongue, lips and cheek muscles, the chewing muscles, breathing, posture and the neurological balance responsible for the tone of muscles can all play a role in how our teeth are positioned. Exactly for this reason during the assessment we examine the mentioned areas beside the traditional orthodontic diagnosis. After the unique assessment we conduct a very detailed analysis and we assemble the complex treatment package tailored to the patient’s individual needs.

The crooked position of teeth is part of a complex problem. Be aware that the muscular system surrounding the teeth (lips, cheek muscles, chewing muscles and the tongue) has an effect on the position of teeth. The functioning of the muscles depends on breathing, the balance of the nervous system and posture. This means that if our posture, our breathing during sleep, or the nervous system get off balance, the disrupted functioning can cause our teeth and jaw to move from their original positions. HermannOrtho’s special method is that in order to restore the balance of the body and the condition of the teeth in the most biological way possible, we work every level of the system that might be off. Such treatment modules are logopedia, breathing training, neurological groundwork, posture correction – all of this in one place, in an organized manner, built on each other, with the most modern equipment and methods.

Very often a crucial element in the body and teeth getting off balance is thumb sucking or pacifier use. The thumb and the pacifier in the mouth prevents the ideal development of swallowing, the tongue from getting used to its proper position in the palate cavity. On top of that, in the majority of cases this habit goes hand in hand with mouth breathing. The lower position of the tongue, and mouth breathing easily lead to the development of a narrow dental arch, the crowding of teeth, the underdevelopment of the lower cheekbone and an elongated face. The associated sleeping disorder makes the situation even worse. This means that quitting this habit and supporting the patient in their effort is our common interest. Our surgery applies a special device which is constantly in the mouth and makes the presence of the thumb or pacifier uncomfortable. Luckily, children get used to it very easily irrespective of their age. Usually this device has to be in the patient’s mouth for 3 months.

It is fact that more and more children develop jaw joint problems. In early childhood teeth grinding is more typical, jaw problems less so, but in adolescence surprisingly many children suffer from severe pain in the jaw and popping. Our modern thinking links these jaw problems (including teeth grinding in early childhood) to the quality of sleep and physical exhaustion. Our surgery applies the most modern method in jaw joint and sleep therapy. This is a 3-4 month therapy package for adolescents in which we take the stress off the joint with special daytime rails and support this with a combined training which loosens up the directly involved muscles and at the same time restores the balance of the body.