Healthy Start – Habit Corrector

PREVENT RATHER THAN CORRECT

The Healthy Start System™ is a revolutionary departure from traditional orthodontics that treats children early, is non-invasive, and is a natural way of straightening teeth. It works as well as or better than braces, plastic aligners, surgery, or any other options to achieve a picture-perfect, beautiful smile. Dr. Babcock, and Dr. Lilit are among only a few doctors in this area trained to offer this innovative new system!

DEPENDING ON THE AGE OF YOUR CHILD THE SYSTEM USES A SERIES OF APPLIANCES:

In our office we make use of the The Habit Corrector for our young patients who would benefit from it. The Habit Corrector is one of the most popular appliances within the Healthy Start system, it has Myofunctional Therapy built-in and addresses the root causes of Sleep Disordered Breathing symptoms that are all related to poor oral health like mouth breathing, thumb sucking, improper tongue position, etc. All aspects of the Habit Corrector have a purpose to help children train themselves to position their tongues, swallow properly, and get the full amount of oxygen through nasal breathing.

The habit-corrector eliminates or improves current oral habits that can damage your child’s dental health. He or she wears the habit-corrector at night while sleeping. With a design similar to that of a pacifier, your child can become used to wearing the device in his or her mouth every night. With regular use it is designed to help open the airway and allow for maximum airflow, allowing children to sleep deeper and more relaxed (limiting snoring, nightmares, and bedwetting).

BEAUTIFUL SMILES ARE JUST THE BEGINNING

Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) is an all-inclusive term for breathing difficulties, ranging from mild snoring all the way to severe airway obstruction during sleep. When your child’s breathing is disrupted, his or her body recognizes the disruption much like choking, therefore, slowing the heart rate, raising the blood pressure, arousing the brain, ultimately disrupting sleep. Traditionally, there have been very few answers to treating this issue, but Babcock Dentistry is now using Healthy Start to treat these issues.

HOW CAN I TELL IF MY CHILD HAS SLEEP-DISORDERED BREATHING?

Does it ever sound like a freight train is running through your child’s room at night or as they lay asleep in the back seat on the way home from a trip? Loud snoring is one very apparent indication that your child may have Sleep-Disordered Breathing. Gasping and snorting sounds while your child sleeps may catch you off guard or even make you momentarily worry. These sounds stem from your child moving from a deeper sleep to a lighter sleep struggling to breathe.

COMMON SLEEP DISORDER BREATHING SYMPTOMS INCLUDE:

  • ADD/ADHD
  • Bedwetting
  • Chronic Allergies
  • Asthma
  • Mouth Breathing
  • Snoring
  • Swollen Adenoids/Tonsils
  • Frequent Headaches
  • Teeth Grinding
  • Frequently Waking up
  • Excessively Sweating While Asleep
  • Restless Sleep
  • Nightmares
  • Irritability/ Aggressive Behavior
  • Difficulty in School Subjects of Math, Science, and Spelling
  • Arrested Growth
  • Daytime Drowsiness
  • Dark Circles under the eyes