“Children know when something isn’t quite right, they want to make those changes and they’re excited when their treatment is effective”, Dr. Sara Stock.
When Maggie’s son first came to Smile Brookline, he was a sweet 8 year old boy who was not thriving in the ways he could have been. He had a noticeable slanted, or canted, smile, he showed signs of an underdeveloped jaw, and was working through a tongue tie, and most noticeable, a deep crossbite. His crossbite was not just affecting his teeth but the way his entire face was developing, which is true for most children who have them.
Due to his underdevelopment, sleep was one of his biggest struggles. One major sign of a child trying to cope with disordered sleeping is frequent bed wetting. Wetting the bed is a survival instinct that the body employs when a child is not getting enough air while asleep. In adults this manifests as waking up frequently to go to the bathroom, and in children this manifests as bed wetting. Another way this manifests in children is when a child is exceptionally difficult to put to bed. When the bed time routine can take hours, and when the child seems most awake after dinner, it is their body telling them that they are not safe while asleep.
The bottom line is, when there is someone in the household having difficulties sleeping, the entire house will struggle to sleep. When children take hours to put to sleep or wake up frequently during the night, or are wetting the bed frequently throughout the week, parents and siblings are also unable to get restorative sleep. Restorative sleep is essential for everyone but especially in children. During this time this is when all kinds of regulation happens such as, growth and development, emotional regulation, and also organizing and categorizing information learned during the day. Without restorative sleep children will not only be physically stunted, but also emotionally and mentally.
After the original consultation, Dr. Stock created a customized treatment plan to support Maggie’s son’s natural growth and development. While all children begin with a similar foundation, therapies are tailored to each child’s specific needs. Maggie’s son required a combination of expansion, oral function work, and guidance from advanced diagnostic tools. This includes myofunctional therapy techniques to ensure that the muscles within the mouth are able to handle the guided growth and assist in the development. Over the course of his treatment, from late May to early February, the changes have been nothing short of remarkable.
Today, Maggie’s son looks like a different child. His smile has lifted, his eyes appear more even and open, and his nostrils have widened as his airway improved. Most importantly, he’s sleeping better and no longer needs nighttime pull-ups. Part of what makes these changes so remarkable is that Maggie’s son had a lot of difficulty with the therapies and wearing his growth guides at night, so despite the imperfect execution of treatment, the dedication between patient family and our practice have assisted him in all aspects of life.
When Maggie’s son first started, he was shy and hesitant to make eye contact. Like many children around second to fourth grade, he was becoming aware of how he looked compared to other kids—and this awareness can be tough. Now, he is engaged, confident, and eager to talk. He makes eye contact, holds conversations, and gets excited when he sees his progress. He’s truly come out of his shell. Despite these major changes and progress, he is still in the middle of treatment and has a ways to go until all of the results of the Vivos treatment can be reached.
When issues like crossbites and restricted airways are addressed early, children can return to the natural growth path they were meant to follow. Waiting until traditional orthodontic age often misses this critical window of growth. Early intervention has the opportunity to change a child’s life, both physically and emotionally.
If you or your child struggle with disordered sleeping or breathing, reach out to Smile Brookline to book an appointment with Dr. Sara Stock. Offices are open Monday through Saturday and appointments can be booked online or over the phone. Don’t wait to take your first steps towards easier breathing, restorative sleep, and a better future.
Smile Brookline: Dr. Sara Stock DDS
1425 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446
617-731-3364
