FAQ: Could a Dental Expander ACTUALLY Help Shrink Your Child’s Tonsils?

Researchers looked at 60 children and found that after treatment, 90% had smaller adenoids and 97.5% had reduced tonsil size—two common causes of mouth breathing, snoring, and poor sleep. How did this happen? Expanding the palate (in this case with a rapid palatal expander or RPE) increases nasal volume, reducing airway resistance and irritation of lymphoid tissue. Additionally, RPE creates more space in the oral cavity, encouraging better tongue posture, which helps open the throat and improve breathing.

While most children benefited, a few did not— serving as a reminder that every child’s needs are unique. Traditionally, surgery is the default option for enlarged tonsils and adenoids, but these findings suggest that RPE may offer a non-surgical alternative for improving airway health. Others may benefit from therapy or other interventions for best results- but I like these odds!

Source: Yoon A, Abdelwahab M, Bockow R, et al. Impact of rapid palatal expansion on the size of adenoids and tonsils in children. Sleep Med. 2022 Apr;92:96-102. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2022.02.011.

FAQ: Therapy... but what kind?

There can be confusion about which therapy is right for your child and who should be part of the care team.

• Myofunctional Therapy:
  • Techniques designed to retrain the muscles of the face, mouth, and tongue to improve breathing, chewing, swallowing, and speech
  • Recommended for children 4 years and older, as it requires active participation.
  • Progress is made with regular practice at home, much like working with a coach.

However, for younger children or specific issues, myofunctional therapy may not be the best fit. Other therapies which could be a better fit include:

• Occupational Therapy: Focuses on daily activities and motor skills.
• Physical Therapy: Addresses physical movement and coordination.
• Feeding Therapy: Helps target difficulties in eating and swallowing.
• Speech Therapy: Focuses on improving speech and communication.
• Oral Motor Therapy: Targets mouth and jaw muscle development.

Each therapy type supports different aspects of your child’s development. If you aren't quite sure what type of support you need, or where to even find these types of providers, I'd be happy to help guide you.

What's my Super Power?

And other questions answered...

Chris Duval has had a remarkable career in dental hygiene and is now the founder of The LifeGuard Approach, where she empowers dental professionals to rethink their approach to patient care. As a self-described “architect of change,” she is dedicated to reshaping how dentistry and medicine view health. Connecting with Chris was truly inspiring—her journey and mission align with my own passion for giving patients more autonomy in their healthcare. By encouraging a more active role in their own health decisions, she is helping to drive real, lasting improvements in both oral and overall wellness. I joined her for an interview to explain how my own consulting services match up with this philosophy.

OW Update

Things are happening fast around here in the back half of this month! I have several exciting interviews lined up, as well as two weekends of classes for my local program on "Functional Jaw Orthopedics." I'm also working on creating a quiz to help you decide, What's Your Airway Health Style?

I have a feeling that the next newsletter will be FULL of fun, so stay tuned.

As always, feel free to respond to this newsletter with anything that resonates for you, any questions or concerns that this has raised, or just to say "hi" - I love to hear from you guys!

All the best,

Dr. Julia