Airway Assessment in Lakewood, Colorado
Airway Assessment
The way you breathe affects every cell in your body, yet most people never have their airway properly evaluated until serious problems develop. At our Lakewood dental clinic, we perform comprehensive airway assessments that reveal hidden breathing restrictions impacting your sleep, energy, and overall health. Using advanced 3D imaging and thorough clinical evaluation, we examine your entire airway from nose to throat, identifying obstructions and anatomical issues that traditional medical exams often miss. This detailed assessment helps us understand why you might be snoring, feeling tired despite adequate sleep, or experiencing symptoms like morning headaches and difficulty concentrating. By catching airway problems early, we can prevent them from developing into serious conditions like sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, and chronic fatigue.
Advanced Technology Reveals Hidden Problems
Our airway assessment goes far beyond a simple visual examination. We use state-of-the-art 3D cone beam imaging (CBCT) to create detailed, three-dimensional views of your entire airway anatomy. This technology allows us to measure airway dimensions precisely, identify restrictions, and spot anatomical variations that contribute to breathing problems. We evaluate nasal passages, sinuses, soft palate position, tongue space, and throat dimensions to create a complete picture of your breathing pathway. During the assessment, we also examine factors like jaw position, dental arch width, and tongue posture that directly impact airway size. Many patients are amazed to see their airway in 3D for the first time and finally understand why they've been struggling with breathing issues for years.
Connecting Airway Health to Whole-Body Wellness
What distinguishes our airway assessment approach is our understanding of how breathing problems cascade into other health issues. A restricted airway doesn't just cause snoring – it triggers a chain reaction affecting your cardiovascular system, metabolism, cognitive function, and emotional well-being. Children with airway restrictions may develop behavioral problems, learning difficulties, and altered facial growth patterns. Adults often experience high blood pressure, anxiety, weight gain, and decreased productivity. Our assessment identifies these connections, helping you understand how improving your airway can enhance multiple aspects of your health. We collaborate with physicians, sleep specialists, and ENTs when necessary, but many airway issues can be effectively addressed through dental interventions like orthodontic expansion, oral appliances, or myofunctional therapy.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine emphasizes that proper airway assessment is critical for identifying sleep-disordered breathing, which affects millions of Americans and significantly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Breathe Better, Live Better
Don't wait for breathing problems to worsen. Our comprehensive airway assessment in Lakewood provides the insights you need to improve your breathing and transform your health. Schedule your assessment today and discover how optimizing your airway can enhance your quality of life.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
What signs indicate I might need an airway assessment?
Common indicators include snoring, mouth breathing, daytime fatigue, morning headaches, teeth grinding, acid reflux, and difficulty concentrating. Children may show signs like restless sleep, bedwetting, hyperactivity, or dark circles under their eyes. Even subtle symptoms like dry mouth or frequent throat clearing warrant evaluation.
How is an airway assessment different from a sleep study?
While sleep studies measure what happens during sleep, airway assessments examine the physical structures causing breathing problems. We use 3D imaging to visualize your actual airway anatomy, identifying restrictions and obstructions. This structural analysis helps determine why breathing issues occur and guides treatment planning.
What does the 3D airway imaging show?
Our CBCT imaging creates detailed views of your nasal passages, sinuses, throat, and surrounding structures. We can measure airway volume, identify the narrowest points, assess soft tissue positions, and evaluate bone structure. This comprehensive view reveals restrictions invisible to traditional examination methods.
Can airway problems be fixed without surgery?
Many airway issues respond well to non-surgical interventions. Options include orthodontic expansion to widen narrow arches, oral appliances to reposition the jaw, myofunctional therapy to improve tongue posture, and treatment of nasal congestion. We always explore conservative treatments before considering surgical referrals.
At what age should children have an airway assessment?
We recommend airway screening as early as age 2-3 if symptoms are present. Early identification allows intervention during critical growth periods, potentially preventing more serious problems. Regular dental visits include basic airway screening, with comprehensive assessment recommended when concerns arise.
How does poor airway health affect daily life?
Restricted airways force your body to work harder for oxygen, affecting energy, mood, focus, and performance. Poor sleep quality impacts memory, decision-making, and emotional regulation. Many patients report dramatic improvements in productivity, relationships, and overall happiness after addressing airway issues.
We’re Not Just Tooth Doctors.
We look at your whole health.
Welcome to Balanced Dental Studio, located in Lakewood, Colorado. Our dental practice embraces a holistic approach, prioritizing the overall health of our patients. As functional dentists, we go beyond the surface and delve into the root causes of dental issues, ensuring durable solutions.
While maintaining good oral hygiene through practices like brushing, flossing, mouthwash, and regular cleanings is crucial, they may not always address the underlying reasons for problems such as tooth decay, misaligned teeth, and bad breath. These issues can often be traced back to airway obstructions, overcrowding in the mouth, and narrow dental arches resulting from habits like mouth breathing and sleep-disordered breathing.
By focusing on functional dentistry, we aim to identify and resolve the core sources of dental problems, thereby preventing future issues and enhancing your overall quality of life. Our mission is to help you and your loved ones regain the confidence to smile, breathe effortlessly, and enjoy improved well-being. We offer comprehensive dental care for patients of all ages, ranging from preventive cleanings to advanced procedures.
Schedule An
Appointment
Are you ready to smile more, breathe freely, and live better?
We are, too! Give us a call or complete the form to schedule an appointment! We'd love to sit down and discuss how you can achieve better oral health and a beautiful, healthy smile!
Please call 303.989.3192 or use the form to request to schedule an appointment. The Balanced Dental Studio Team will then call you to confirm a date and time.
CONTACT BALANCED
DENTAL STUDIO
© 2026 Balanced Dental Studio, all rights reserved. Privacy Policy. Terms of Service. Disclaimer.