In the last several years, much information has come to light regarding the role of jaw orthopedics in relationship to head and neck pain, upper airway obstruction (UAO), and damage to the teeth and cervical spine. Poor orthopedic development of the jaws is something that occurs in early childhood and should be diagnosed no later than at eight years old.
Why are there so many crooked teeth?
One of the most obvious, and common, signs of poor
orthopedic jaw development is crooked, or crowded teeth.
Basically, the growth of the jaw has been restricted to less that the individual’s genetic potential.
According to Dr. D. H. Enlow, the father of growth research, it is breathing patterns and the function of the tongue that are critical in stimulating the appropriate amount of jaw growth so that there is enough room to fit all of the teeth in. Poor breathing patterns, like mouth breathing, leads to poor tongue posture. This leads to small, underdeveloped jaws, which in turn leads to crooked teeth.
Remember, the genetic code for the human being is not for us to have crooked teeth. It is the environmental influences of the industrialized world that are interfering with our breathing patterns and, thereby, our growth and development.