Functional jaw orthopaedics on TV

Hugh McDemott, a dentist with a special interest in functional jaw orthopaedics, has appeared on the TV3 Ireland:AM programme to talk with presenter Aidan Cooney about orthodontics without extractions.

Featured alongside Patrick McKeown, an expert in asthmatic breathing and a Buteyko practitioner, the duo focused on the link between mouth breathing, which is common is asthmatics, and tooth misalignment.

Hugh said: ‘If the jaw is overcrowded with teeth, functional jaw orthopaedists consider that the jaw has not developed to its genetic potential to be able to carry all those teeth. There are two reasons for this – mouth breathing and a lack of changeover from the infantile swallow at 18 months to the mature swallow.’

Patrick went on to comment ‘It makes sense that if your mouth is open your tongue is in the floor of your mouth and if your mouth is closed your tongue is in the upper arch, which ensures a wider upper arch.’

To view the full interview, please visit www.tv3.ie.