The Healthy Start System FAQs

For your Children’s health

The Healthy Start System for children uses a series of uniquely designed oral appliances. These appliances are worn for just a few hours a day and/or during the night time as they sleep. The system is highly effective in straightening teeth and in alleviating mouth breathing, thereby restoring nasal breathing by reshaping the oral cavity, jaw and airway. The best time to begin the Healthy Start System is between ages 3 and 12.

Unknown to many parents, mouth breathing is one of the many issues associated with Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB). Statistics shows that SDB affects 9 out of 10 children in America. While symptoms vary from one child to another, clinical studies show a connection between SDB and certain health issues. Research also reveals that pediatric sleep disorders affect the physical, behavioral and cognitive development of children. Hence, those who suffer from SDB tend to perform poorly in school.

Some of the health issues linked to SDB:

Snoring & Restless sleep.

Nightmares & Daytime drowsiness.

Swollen tonsils/adenoids.

Stunted growth & Chronic allergies.

Crowded/Crooked teeth.

ADD/ADHD & Aggressive behavior.

Difficulty in school.

Bed wetting.

Healthy Start Appliance
FDA approved, Free of BPA, Silicone and Latex.

Frequently Asked Questions?

Can you give an example of a typical child that had breathing and behavior problems before treatment, and the result obtained with Healthy Start appliance?

Answer

A 6-year-old boy in 2nd grade snored regularly, was a night mouth-breather, was hyperactive, had attention deficit, poor school performance, aggression, and bed wetting. He wore a Healthy Start appliance at night for 2 years. He immediately stopped snoring and started breathing through his nose while sleeping. His overall academic performance went way up. For example, his mathematics scores went from the 6th to 57th percentile by the end of 4th grade. At the end of the 2 year period, most of his behavioral problems were non-existent.

In which school subjects do students show most improvement with this procedure?

Answer

Mathematics, science and spelling show significant improvement. There is usually no marked improvement in reading and writing skills.

If children have a sleep disorder, what is the likelihood of developing ADD / ADHD? Do their behavior problems usually self-correct as they get olde?

Answer

Children with moderate and severe sleep problems (about a third of all children) are 12 times more likely to have ADD/ADHD. As they age, children’s behavioral problems do not improve or get worse on their own, but can be affected by many factors.

When these sleep problems are left untreated, are there other health problems that can occur?

Answer

Yes. Those with untreated sleep disorders have significantly higher rates of cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure, depression, poor physical growth, and speech problems.

Will an orthodontic condition in the baby teeth sometimes correct in the permanent dentition?

Answer

Research has shown that children do not typically grow out of these conditions. In fact, children’s problems often get worse as the permanent teeth erupt, whereas the options for treatment become fewer as children get older.
Before Overbite/overjet After (5 years post treatment)

Why does a perfect set of baby teeth become a crowded set of permanent teeth?

Answer

Perfectly aligned baby teeth do not necessarily provide enough space for the larger permanent tooth to erupt into the space left by the loss of the smaller tooth. Often, the permanent tooth will have to rotate in order to fit. The Healthy Start system guides the eruption of the permanent tooth in a predetermined slot in the appliance, ensuring that it comes in straight while allowing the natural expansion of the arch. Additionally, the fiber bundles that anchor the permanent teeth into the mouth grow in straight and strong, so they are unlikely to become crooked—a problem that occurs frequently when braces are removed.

What is a gummy smile and can it be corrected during the transition of the baby to permanent teeth?

Answer

Gummy smile is a condition in which a high lip-line exposes an abnormal amount of gingival tissue. It’s often associated with an excessive overbite. The Healthy Start children’s appliance can prevent an excessive permanent overbite by restricting the eruption of the upper front adult teeth.

How do we keep the Healthy Start appliance clean?

Answer

After taking out the appliance in the morning, brush it with a little bit of toothpaste, rinse with tap water, shake off the excess water, and let it sit in the case with the top open to air dry for a while as you get ready for the rest of your day. Later, it’s best to close the case for further protection.

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