|
|
|
|
David McIntosh is one of the leading ENT Surgeons in Australia that works with dentists and orthodontists. This has come about through a greater understanding and appreciation of the need for specialist interaction. David has spent time going to meet with dentists and orthodontists to gain insight into the nature of the problems they see and subsequently has formulated management strategies to assist in achieving the best outcome for patients. He regularly offers dentists the opportunity for education on the role of ENT Surgeons in a team approach to whole patient care. Some of the more common problems David sees are as follows: Crooked Teeth Children who have a blocked nose and/or snore are up to 4-5 times more likely to need braces to correct dental and jaw problems. These children may have big tonsils, large adenoids, or inferior turbinate hypertrophy. Early correction has been shown to result in improvement (and sometimes resolution) of the dental or jaw problems. Furthermore, unless the obstruction is managed, there is a relapse rate subsequent to orthodontic intervention. Children with hayfever are a high risk group for these types of problems. Teeth grinding at night Up until recently, children who were grinding their teeth at night were thought to be "stressed". Research now shows that during the lighter phased of sleep there is a disturbance to the pattern of sleep, which results in muscles clenching and, hence, the grinding. The evidence now points to a problem related to obstructed breathing. David has treated children who grind their teeth by addressing the obstruction, and the grinding has then stopped. Swallowing problems Altered swallowing patterns due to obstruction are becoming increasing recognised, with the most common consequence being an aversion to certain consistencies of meat, and subsequent iron deficiency. David does not have a cure for the fussy eater, but regularly sees children where the problem is obstruction and subsequent to treatment, there is a change in the child's eating preferences. Sinusitis There is a link between dental decay and certain types of sinusitis. Identifying this is important to ensure the correct treatment is offered, dealing with the source of the problem. Assessment of adult snoring and suitability for mandibular advancement splints The concept that adult sleep apnoea is due to the tongue falling back is somewhat limited in its accuracy. By using nasal and throat telescopes we can assess the potential benefit, or otherwise, of jaw splints and mouthguards. It is also important to be able to breathe through the nose to allow the use of such devices, and this is all assessed at the same time. |
|
© ENT Specialists, Maroochydore. 2011. Phone 1300 19 45 82 |
