Integrating Medicine & Dentistry to Improve Breathing Problems (w/Dr. Bill Harrell) [Ep.45]

The DOC Podcast

In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with a true pioneer in the area of 3D imaging, TMJ, and airway-focused orthodontics, Dr. Bill Harrell. We discuss:

• How his interest in TMJ was shaped by his work with the legendary Dr. Bill Farrar.
• How his relationship with Dr. David Hatcher, a world expert in craniofacial radiology, got Bill interested in both 3D imaging and airway in the 1990s.
• What he learned from Dr. Christian Guilleminault that helped change his thinking on pediatric airway and orthodontics.
• The potential of going into schools and working with nurses to use facial analysis to screen for sleep issues in children.
• An article by Ketchum in 1912 highlighting the importance of orthodontists recognizing airway issues in young children, referring to their otolaryngological colleagues, and then addressing the aberrant growth and development with arch development.
• Why we don’t learn more about airway and early treatment in orthodontic residency training.
• The reason why it is not practical (or ethical) to conduct long-term studies on the treatment of airway compromise.
• The potential for using rhinomanometry to help diagnose sleep-related breathing disorders and quantify changes achieved during and after orthodontic treatment.
• How the Salzmann Index is harming the ability of orthodontic residents to treat patients in the early mixed dentition.
• The importance of using CBCT to look at maxillary and mandibular bone widths.
• Acoustic pharyngometry and whether or not it can aid in the diagnostic process.
• The importance of orthodontists working with ENTs to coordinate the care of patients with a restricted airway.
• The CAST (Children’s Airway Screener Taskforce) Committee of the ADA and how they are developing a screening protocol (CGASP) to improve our ability to detect airway issues as well as determine the impact of interceptive orthodontic treatment on airway patency.
• Bill’s upcoming textbook titled, “Growing into breathing problems: the quest for collaborative lifetime solutions” and what we can expect from this amazing book, including chapters by: David Gozal, David McIntosh, Jerry Simmons, Stanley Liu, Audrey Yoon, Steve Carstensen, Dave McCarty, Steve Lamberg, Karen Davidson, Linda Gibson-Young, Duane Grummons, Nicole Goldfarb, Eric Thuler, and many more!

LINKS:

-Dr. Jerry Simmons email to inquire about CAST/CGASP: [e-mail]

-Dr. Mike email address: [e-mail]