Airway dentistry · Duluth, MN
We treat tongue ties, mouth breathing, narrow jaws, and snoring for babies, kids, and adults in one office on Woodland Avenue.
Dr. Camille Zelen, RN, DDS, AAACD, leads our airway care, and our two in-house myofunctional therapists work alongside every case.
Airway dentistry is dental care that looks at how the mouth, jaw, and tongue affect breathing and sleep, and treats the causes of mouth breathing, snoring, and a narrow palate.
In kids, dark circles, restless sleep, and trouble focusing often show up together with mouth breathing. Adults feel it as snoring, morning headaches, and a jaw that never relaxes. We look for the cause in the mouth and treat it there.
Three things in the mouth shape how well you breathe.
| What | When it works well | When it doesn't |
|---|---|---|
| Tongue | Rests against the roof of the mouth | Rests low, often because of a tie or weak muscles |
| Upper jaw | Wide enough for the teeth and tongue | Narrow and high, crowding teeth and the tongue |
| Lips | Closed at rest, breathing through the nose | Open at rest, breathing through the mouth |
These three affect each other. A low tongue gives the upper jaw less support as it grows, and a narrow jaw leaves less room for the tongue. That's why we treat them together.
Red flags in babies
Red flags in kids
Red flags in adults
If you checked one or two, book a screening. We'll tell you plainly whether anything needs treatment.
| Age | Common signs | What we offer |
|---|---|---|
| Infants | Latch trouble, clicking, painful nursing | Laser tongue and lip tie release |
| Kids | Mouth breathing, snoring, crowding, narrow palate | Myofunctional therapy, expanders, Invisalign First |
| Teens and adults | Snoring, clenching, narrow upper jaw | Myofunctional therapy, MARPE, oral sleep appliances, Solea Sleep |
Three quick questions, about 30 seconds. You'll see what we usually offer for the signs you notice.
This is not a diagnosis. Your exam sets the real plan.
Where we would start
A tongue or lip tie is a tight band of tissue that limits how the tongue or lip moves. We release ties with a laser, and only when the tie limits function.
We see babies in their first weeks for feeding and tie concerns.
Question 1 of 3
Who are you asking about?
A tongue or lip tie is a tight band of tissue that limits how the tongue or lip moves.
We release ties with a laser for babies, kids, and adults, and only when the tie limits function. Dr. Zelen trained in tie release through The Breathe Institute, Tongue-Tied Academy, and the Infant Frenectomy Protocol.
Orofacial myofunctional therapy uses exercises to retrain how the tongue, lips, and face rest, swallow, and breathe.
We were the first practice in Duluth to offer myofunctional therapy, and we've run it in office since 2020. Our therapists start with a detailed questionnaire and an exam, check for ties, and build an exercise plan for your child or for you.
Much of the therapy happens by video after the first visit. We also run a 12-session group camp for kids, part in person and part online, which the Duluth News Tribune and Fox21 have featured.
A narrow upper jaw crowds the teeth and leaves less room for the tongue.
For growing kids, we use the removable Invisalign Palatal Expander or a traditional bonded expander. For adults, whose growth plates have closed, we use MARPE, an expander anchored with small mini-implants in the palate.
We now expand adults at a slower rate, an approach often called MASPE, because we've found it to be a safer approach.
We make custom oral appliances that hold the lower jaw forward during sleep to keep the airway open.
For snoring, we also offer Solea Sleep, a laser treatment that firms the soft tissue at the back of the mouth.
Sleep apnea needs a diagnosis from a sleep study. If you snore and wake up tired, we'll screen you and coordinate with your physician.
We see babies in their first weeks for feeding and tie concerns. For older kids, book a screening as soon as you notice mouth breathing, snoring, or grinding.
Breathing through the mouth at rest can be a sign of a low tongue, a narrow palate, or blocked nasal breathing. It's worth a screening, especially with snoring or restless sleep.
Yes. After an in-person assessment, most sessions can happen by video. Kids can also join our in-person and online group camp.
It can be. Jaw position, tongue posture, and a narrow palate all affect the airway, and a custom oral appliance helps many people who snore.
Yes. Airway problems often need more than one provider, and we share findings and coordinate care.
Mount Royal Dental sits at 1624 Woodland Avenue, Duluth, MN 55803, at the corner of Woodland and St. Marie, next to the Mount Royal Shopping Center near UMD. Families come to us from Hermantown, Superior, Two Harbors, Cloquet, and across the Northland.
Monday 8 to 3, Tuesday through Thursday 8 to 4:30, Friday closed. Call (218) 464-5222.
