You pay at the time of your visit, and we’ll file your insurance claim for you — your insurance will reimburse you directly based on your plan’s coverage.
Our membership plans make it easy to prioritize your child’s oral health and overall wellness without the stress of insurance limitations or unexpected costs.
We’ll always provide detailed treatment estimates and work with you to find payment solutions that fit your family’s budget and healthcare goals.
Your child seems healthy on the surface, but something feels off at night. Maybe they snore loudly, breathe through their mouth, or wake up more tired than when they went to bed. These aren’t quirks to wait out. They can be early signs of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), a spectrum of conditions that disrupt normal airflow and oxygen delivery while your child sleeps and that can quietly affect their behavior, growth, and development.
At Wellness Pediatric Dentistry, we take these signs seriously. As San Antonio’s first holistic pediatric dental practice, we offer sleep-disordered breathing screenings for children rooted in our airway orthodontics philosophy. We understand the relationship between oral structure, airway development, and sleep quality, and we’re here to help families in Castle Hills and the surrounding San Antonio area get the answers they need.
Sleep-disordered breathing is an umbrella term for a range of conditions in which a child’s breathing is interrupted or restricted during sleep. The most well-known form is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but SDB also includes primary snoring, upper airway resistance syndrome, and other patterns of disrupted respiration. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, research has shown that even mild sleep-disordered breathing can affect a child’s sleep quality, blood pressure, and overall health.
What makes SDB particularly easy to miss is that children don’t always appear sleepy the way adults do. Instead, they may present with hyperactivity, trouble focusing, irritability, or behavioral challenges that can easily be attributed to something else entirely.
Parents are often the first to notice something is wrong, even when they can’t name it. You know your child. If you’ve observed any of the following, a screening may be worth discussing.
Common signs of sleep-disordered breathing in children include:
These signs don’t always confirm a diagnosis, but they are meaningful data points. A screening gives us a clearer picture of what’s happening so we can determine the best path forward.
Our approach to SDB screening goes beyond simply asking whether your child snores. We look at the full picture, including oral structure, jaw development, tongue posture, and nasal airway function. Because most jaw growth occurs before age six, early identification is critical. The window for meaningful intervention is real, and we want families to have the information they need before that window narrows.
As part of our new patient exam, we incorporate airway awareness into every visit. For children five and older, we use sleep questionnaires to help assess risk and gather a comprehensive view of their nighttime patterns. Dr. Christi Wengler, a Diplomat of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry with specialized training through Airway Health Solutions, evaluates each child with attention to the structural factors that can contribute to breathing difficulties during sleep.
Our holistic preventive approach means we don’t jump to conclusions or push unnecessary interventions. We share our findings transparently, explain your options clearly, and respect your right to make informed decisions about your child’s care. If your child has sensory processing challenges or special needs that make dental and airway evaluations stressful, our special needs dental care team is experienced in creating a calm, accommodating environment.
Experience the difference that holistic pediatric care can make for your child. Our comprehensive approach combines gentle techniques with transparent communication to create positive dental experiences that last a lifetime. We’re here to partner with you in supporting your child’s overall health and development through expert oral care.
From fluoride-free alternatives to airway-focused orthodontics, we offer the choices and expertise your family deserves. Schedule your consultation today and discover how our unique approach can benefit your child’s health and wellness journey.
A screening is a starting point. Depending on what we observe, we may recommend further evaluation, referral to a sleep specialist, or a conversation about airway-focused orthodontic options. Some children benefit from palate expansion or myofunctional approaches that support better airway development over time. Others may simply need closer monitoring and nutritional support, which is an area Dr. Wengler is uniquely qualified to address given her background in nutritional sciences.
Our preventive dentistry framework is built around the idea that oral health connects directly to a child’s overall wellness, including how they sleep, breathe, and grow. We share that framework with every family we see.
If you’ve been wondering whether your child’s breathing patterns during sleep are something to address, trust that instinct. Early screening creates the opportunity for early action, and early action is what protects your child’s development, behavior, and long-term health. Dr. Wengler brings together advanced pediatric training, nutritional expertise, and airway-focused care in a practice designed to empower parents with real information and real choices.
Wellness Pediatric Dentistry proudly serves families in Castle Hills, TX, and across the greater San Antonio area. We are out-of-network by choice, a decision we made to ensure we can use higher-quality materials and spend the time each child deserves. Flexible payment options, including membership plans and financing through Cherry and CareCredit, are available to support your family’s access to care. Contact us today to schedule a screening and take the first step toward understanding your child’s airway health.
