AirwayAwareThe face is shaped by genes - and by the environment it grew in.
The face is shaped by genetics — but growth also occurs in a functional environment.
Things worth noticing
- habitual open-mouth posture
- narrow dental arches
- crowded teeth
- long-face tendency
- lip incompetence
- altered jaw relationships
- high or narrow palate
None of these proves an airway problem by itself.
Why do we care?
Breathing, tongue posture, swallowing, muscle function and craniofacial growth interact over long periods. The interesting question is not simply what the face looks like, but what functional environment accompanied its development.
In children, timing matters
Growth is happening now. Persistent mouth breathing or snoring should not simply be assumed to disappear with age.
Get checked: A child with chronic mouth breathing, snoring or obvious difficulty with nasal breathing deserves assessment.
