Are you curious about the jaw development of your children? Do you want to know how your child’s facial structure can shift based on how their jaw grows?
The maturation of a child’s face and jawline is important for airway development, facial structure, and the alignment of teeth. For example, the maxilla (the top part of the jaw) does more than just hold our top row of teeth in place. It forms a significant part of the middle of the face and can influence facial structure and the space available for breathing.
For this reason, it’s important to understand how the development of your child’s jaw can impact their health as well as their facial structure.
What Can Influence Jaw Growth and Facial Development?
Many people don’t think of facial development as a concept to be taken seriously. And it’s easy to see why. Most of us have the preconceived notion that the face is a single bone — when in reality it’s made up of many, about 29, actually. They are all connected at joining points known as sutures.
Some of the causes of improper facial development in children include:
- Genetics
- Excessive thumb-sucking
- Open-mouth posture
- Improper tongue position
- Mouth breathing
Why Jaw Growth Matters Beyond Straight Teeth
A healthy jaw means more than just straight teeth. It actually supports so many other functions in your child’s everyday life that you might not even realize. This includes comfortable chewing and eating thanks to proper jaw alignment, while tongue placement and oral function can also support speech development.
Healthy jaw development also helps create adequate space within the mouth for the tongue to rest comfortably and supports normal oral and breathing function.
Facial development is also impacted by the jaw, since the jaw itself provides the framework for the entire lower face. Balanced growth can contribute to facial symmetry as your child matures.
Resting Oral Posture and Facial Development
The Big Three for Facial Development
- Nasal breathing
- Lips closed with teeth slightly touching
- Correct posture of the tongue (resting on the roof of the mouth)
There’s more to good posture than just standing upright. A crucial aspect of facial development is the resting posture of the mouth. The maxilla and the mandible (the upper and lower parts of the jaw) comprise a significant portion of the face. As children grow, these structures develop alongside the muscles and oral structures around them, which is why resting oral posture can be an important part of facial development.
When these resting oral patterns are disrupted during development, they may influence how the jaws and facial structures grow.
The Impacts of Mouth Breathing and Myofunctional Habits
In order to establish a healthy nasal airway, correct facial growth, and jaw joint strength, it is important that your child uses their nose to breathe. This, in addition to using the correct oral posture, can go a long way in the healthy development of your child’s facial structure.
Factors that can impact facial development in children include excessive mouth breathing and myofunctional habits such as reverse swallowing, thumb-sucking, and tongue thrusting.
Proper tongue positioning can be an important part of the healthy growth of the face and jaw muscles in children. The tongue is a powerful muscle and should be gently placed against the roof of the mouth, supporting the development of the maxilla (the upper jaw).
If proper tongue positioning does not occur (due to mouth breathing, open-mouth posture, etc.), the development of the midface can be impacted.
Proper Tongue Position is Paramount
A crucial component of face and jaw development is the tongue. But it can only do its job once it has obtained the correct positioning. And that can’t happen if your child is always mouth breathing or displaying open-mouth posture, whether asleep or during the day.
Unless your child is eating or speaking, the ideal place for their tongue to be is resting on the roof of their mouth. If the tongue does not find its proper resting space within your child’s mouth, it can impact the development of the upper jaw and the space available for their teeth.
Signs Parents May Notice
Every child grows and develops at their own pace, meaning there is no set age that parts of the body need to be developed by, however, there are general markers and guidelines to monitor on your own child that can help you understand if their jaw development is on the right track for their growth.
These may include:
- Crowded or overlapping teeth
- Crossbite, underbite, or open bite
- Mouth breathing
- Difficulty chewing or biting
- Thumb sucking or prolonged pacifier use
- Speech issues
- Early or delayed loss of baby teeth
- Bed wetting
- Behavior issues
- ADHD
None of these signs automatically mean treatment is necessary, but they can provide valuable information about how your child’s jaws and teeth are developing.
Supporting Jaw Growth With Early Orthodontic Care
If your child displays signs of poor jaw development, there are treatments available to consider. There are expanders (both fixed and removable) that can support bone and jaw development. This kind of treatment can help to:
- Reduce the need for future orthodontics for your children
- Produce space that allows teeth to grow properly and naturally
- Stimulate growth in the upper jaw
- Broaden the roof of the child’s mouth
- Create better facial symmetry
Open-mouth posture, along with mouth breathing and poor tongue positioning habits, can impact your child’s growing face and jawline. If the stabilizing impact of the tongue on the roof of the mouth is absent, it can affect the development of the upper jaw and surrounding facial structures.
These changes can also affect the amount of space available for developing teeth and may be associated with concerns around breathing and sleep.
Early assessment can help identify potential concerns while your child is still growing and determine whether treatment may be beneficial.
Sleep and Breathing in Children
Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a condition that can affect children. Children’s facial and jaw development may also be impacted by persistent mouth breathing while sleeping at night. Additionally, early assessment for signs of poor jaw growth can play a crucial role in both the oral and general health of the child.
Signs of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) include:
- Wetting the bed
- Social problems
- Difficulty learning
- Anxiety
- Snoring
- Fatigue and tiredness
- Behavioral issues
Supporting Healthy Jaw and Facial Development
Your child’s teeth, jaw, facial structure, and airway all develop alongside one another as they grow. Paying attention to changes in their bite, oral posture, breathing, and tooth development can help identify potential concerns early.
If you have questions about your child’s jaw growth or facial development, an early assessment can help you better understand their development and whether additional support may be beneficial.
