If a child is a mouth breather their tongue won't rest in the roof of the mouth, which often results in an underdeveloped upper jaw and restricted forward growth of the lower jaw. Along with the concern of crowding, incorrect development of the upper jaw can affect a child's breathing by restricting airway.Early evaluation for the signs of poor jaw development is increasingly becoming a treatment option more Dentists, Orthodontists and Medical practitioners are implementing.

As well as affecting jaw and facial development, the medical profession now recognises that mouth breathing is abnormal and is also one of the main contributors of Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) problems. Symptoms include snoring, morning tiredness and learning difficulties with extreme cases stopping breathing at times during the night. This is the medical condition called Obstructive Sleep Apnoea - OSA. If left untreated, SDB can lead to significant and serious health problems that cause poorer quality of life in adulthood.

Symptoms commonly associated with Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) can include:

• Developmental and behavioral problems
• Snoring
• SGasping
• SObstructive Sleep Apnea
• SInterrupted sleep