Airway health plays a crucial role in your child’s overall growth, behavior, and quality of sleep. In many cases, issues like pediatric sleep apnea go unrecognized because they present differently than adult sleep disorders. Children rarely “stop breathing” or feel excessively tired during the day—often, the only noticeable sign is nightly snoring or subtle behavioral changes.
Left unaddressed, Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea can contribute to a range of health and developmental concerns.
At Bridge Creek Dental, our airway-focused approach includes Healthy Start®—an exceptionally effective treatment for pediatric sleep-disordered breathing. Dr. Wassmer is the only certified provider of this therapy in the entire state of Montana. If you’re concerned about your child’s airway health or possible sleep apnea, we invite you to call and schedule an evaluation today.
Print out our Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire, fill it out, and bring it to the appointment
The Effects of Sleep Apnea in Children
Sleep apnea doesn’t just affect adults; it can also impact children as young as 3 years old. Pediatric sleep apnea occurs when a child’s airway becomes partially or fully blocked during sleep, leading to disrupted breathing and poor rest. Left untreated, it can influence growth, behavior, and long-term health.
Sleep apnea is most common in children between the ages of 2–8 years old. Up to 4 percent of children around the world have sleep apnea, but it is more difficult to detect in kids than in adults.
Some physical signs that your child might have sleep apnea are:
- Frequent night waking
- Loud, habitual snoring
- Mouth breathing
- Enlarged tonsils
- Excessive sweating at night
- Headache in the morning
Sleep apnea can cause many issues for children if it is left untreated. The biggest issues are slowed development, hyperactivity, and excessive irritability.
At Bridge Creek Dental, our dentists, Dr. Kyle Wassmer, Dr. Jacob Taylor, and Dr. Oliver Swensen, are experienced in identifying airway-related concerns in children and providing treatments that promote healthy development. Using advanced diagnostic tools and airway-focused dentistry, we help children breathe better, sleep deeper, and grow stronger.
What Is Airway Dentistry?
Airway dentistry focuses on how the structure and function of the mouth, teeth, and jaw influence breathing. A child’s airway can be affected by jaw development, tongue position, or even how they bite and chew. These factors can contribute to nighttime breathing issues, snoring, or mouth breathing, common signs of sleep-disordered breathing.
Through early intervention, airway dentistry can guide proper growth of the jaws and face, helping children achieve:
- Improved oxygen flow during sleep
- Healthier craniofacial development
- Reduced risk of long-term sleep apnea
- Better focus and daytime energy
Our approach is rooted in prevention and function, identifying concerns early and guiding the airway to develop properly as your child grows.
Pediatric Airway Dentistry Treatments
We understand that every child’s airway and development are unique. That’s why our treatments are customized to their age, growth stage, and needs. For children ages 3–12, we focus on gentle, non-invasive airway dentistry methods that encourage natural growth and breathing patterns.
Treatment options may include:
- Myofunctional Therapy: Exercises that strengthen the tongue and facial muscles to improve breathing and swallowing.
- Oral Appliances: Custom-made devices that help guide jaw growth and keep the airway open during sleep.
- Growth Guidance Systems: To promote proper oral and airway development early in life.
- Collaboration With Sleep Physicians and ENT specialists: Ensuring comprehensive care when medical evaluation or sleep studies are necessary.
Our goal is to help children breathe and rest naturally, without relying on long-term medical devices or surgery, whenever possible.
Why Early Detection Matters
Early intervention can prevent chronic sleep issues from developing into larger problems in adulthood. Children with untreated airway restrictions may experience:
- Poor sleep quality and morning fatigue
- ADHD-like symptoms or trouble concentrating
- Mouth breathing and dry mouth
- Teeth grinding (bruxism)
- Slower growth or weakened immunity
By addressing airway development early, we help create a strong foundation for your child’s long-term health, behavior, and confidence.
How Can a Dentist Help?
We are here to help you with your child’s sleep apnea. Do not worry. Dr. Wassmer is a KOIS-certified provider of Healthy Start®, which is an oral device that children sleep with. He is the only dentist who offers this treatment in all of Montana.
Healthy Start® opens a child’s airways, which is a proven cause of pediatric sleep apnea. It can also straighten teeth and correct jaw issues early in a child’s life, which can also address their sleep issues.
By taking your child for routine dental visits and evaluations, you can easily prevent potential health complications in the child. If our dentists suspect that sleep apnea might be affecting your child, they will send you home with an at-home test that can be verified and diagnosed by a physician.
Once they are diagnosed, we will create a custom Healthy Start® oral device for them and walk you and the child through using it and wearing it. We understand it might take a bit of adjustment, but the results are worth it!
What Our Patients Are Saying
At Bridge Creek Dental, we measure our success by the difference our care makes in our patients’ lives. Parents often come to us after months, or even years, of searching for answers about their child’s sleep and behavior.
Through airway-focused evaluation and gentle, growth-guided treatment, they finally see real improvement in their child’s energy, focus, and well-being. Their experiences reflect our ongoing commitment to precision, education, and results that truly matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my child has sleep apnea?
Common signs include snoring, restless sleep, mouth breathing, bedwetting, and daytime irritability. If you notice these symptoms, schedule an evaluation.
Is treatment painful or invasive?
No. Most pediatric airway treatments are comfortable and designed to work naturally with your child’s growth.
Can dental treatment really improve sleep?
Yes. By guiding jaw development and supporting nasal breathing, airway dentistry helps reduce obstructions that interrupt sleep.
What age is best to begin treatment?
Ages 3–12 are ideal because the bones and airway are still developing, making early guidance highly effective.
At Bridge Creek Dental, we believe proper breathing is the foundation of whole-body health. Our team uses advanced technology and airway-focused care to help children thrive, awake and asleep.
Schedule a pediatric airway consultation today to give your child the restful sleep and healthy future they deserve.
Support Your Child’s Sleep and Health
Help your child to have a good night’s sleep and good health by consulting with our dentists if you suspect sleep apnea. At Bridge Creek Dental, our dentists are passionate about helping children live happy and helping lives. Give our office a call today to visit with a dentist certified in pediatric sleep apnea treatment.