HealthyStart® System
The HealthyStart® System is a gentle, non-invasive approach to guiding proper oral development in children. The HealthyStart System consists of a sequence of custom-designed oral appliances tailored to your child’s age, growth stage, and specific needs. Treatment plans are personalized to address both orthodontic concerns and breathing-related issues, allowing for a comprehensive approach to oral and overall health.
HealthyStart promotes:
- Proper arch development
- Straight teeth without braces
- Beautiful, balanced smiles
- Lifelong healthy breathing patterns
How the HealthyStart System Works
HealthyStart uses the natural forces of tooth eruption to guide developing teeth and jaws into healthier positions. The system includes a series of removable appliances worn for a few hours during the day and/or while your child sleeps at night.
These appliances:
- Gently direct erupting teeth into proper alignment
- Promote nasal breathing, which is essential for healthy growth
- Encourage proper lower jaw development
- Widen the dental arches naturally, creating space for incoming permanent teeth
Because the appliances work with a child’s natural growth, the process is comfortable, effective, and far less invasive than traditional orthodontics.
Treating Sleep Disordered Breathing
Many children with Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) struggle due to a narrow, underdeveloped, or restricted airway. When airflow is limited, children may revert to mouth breathing, snoring, restlessness, and poor sleep quality, issues that often affect daily mood, focus, behavior, and overall development.
HealthyStart addresses these problems by:
- Gently guiding the upper and lower jaws forward
- Expanding the dental arches and airway
- Encouraging proper nasal breathing
- Supporting mid-face development for long-term airway health
If left untreated, airway narrowing can worsen as a child grows. HealthyStart helps open the airway early, supporting better breathing, better sleep, and better quality of life.
Addressing Orthodontic Issues Naturally
HealthyStart offers a revolutionary alternative to traditional braces by beginning treatment early: during the years when children are rapidly growing. Instead of waiting for all permanent teeth to come in, HealthyStart works with the natural eruption process to guide teeth into alignment as they emerge.
Overbite
An overbite occurs when the upper front teeth overlap the lower teeth too much. This can make the front teeth more prone to injury. HealthyStart appliances worn at night help control how the adult teeth erupt, preventing over-eruption and creating a healthy, balanced bite.
Overjet
Characterized by protruding upper teeth, overjet often results from persistent thumb-sucking or a mismatch in upper and lower jaw positions. With HealthyStart, overjet correction often occurs within four to ten months, especially when treatment begins as the lower adult incisors start to erupt.
Open Bite
An open bite appears as a space between upper and lower front teeth when the jaws are closed. HealthyStart can help correct early open bites by guiding erupting teeth into alignment. For thumb-suckers, the system may be paired with an anti-sucking device for best results.
Crowded Teeth
Crowding occurs when there isn’t enough room for teeth to come in properly, leading to overlapping or twisted teeth. HealthyStart helps create space in the arches and directs erupting teeth into their correct positions, reducing the likelihood of future gum disease or decay.
Underdeveloped Jaw
A small or retruded lower jaw can cause difficulty breathing, eating challenges, and significant bite problems. HealthyStart supports jaw growth and forward development, which in turn helps open the airway and aligns teeth naturally.
A Healthier Future Starts Early
The HealthyStart System is designed to guide your child’s smile and breathing habits in the most natural, gentle, and effective way possible. By addressing orthodontic and airway concerns early, HealthyStart can help children grow into healthier teens and adults with straighter teeth, better sleep, and improved overall wellness.
