How Your Patient’s Eyes Can Hint At Orthodontic Issues

Before a patient’s ortho starts, considering whether there are any “warning signs” is highly important. However, one factor you may not have thought to look at is the eyes. After all, it doesn’t really seem like the eyes will necessarily be relevant for orthodontics cases; however, they can provide useful information that may help. As such, today, we’re looking at how the eyes can help before ortho starts to help you choose an effective treatment plan.
How Can The Eyes Be Relevant in Orthodontics Cases?
There’s a good chance you don’t spend much time studying a patient’s eyes before ortho starts, but this could leave you missing out. Indeed, the eyes can provide useful info on several things, including breathing, sleep disorders, airway issues, or malocclusion. As such, checking them carefully may prove useful.
Some common signs are shiny eyes or Venus Pooling (dark and puffy circles under the eyes). These can be caused by several factors, and may be compounded when the patient has an underdeveloped midface or retrognathic jaws (i.e., a small SNA).
Another sign is sclera showing more prominently than you might expect. This could be due to a habit or certain diseases, but this can also suggest a lack of midface or jaw development, increasing the risk of poor airways.
Don’t Rule Out Other Causes
While we’ve looked at how the eyes could potentially indicate airway issues and the like in your orthodontics patients, it’s worth noting that these signs could come about for a few reasons. However, if you notice these consistently in a patient, it may be worth looking into this.