Beyond Expansion: What Orthodontics Can—and Cannot—Do for the Airway

Presented by: Tim Yu, DDS, MSD

Original Lecture/ Publication Date: September 2, 2026 (Webinar Series)

Course Description:

As airway-focused orthodontics becomes more prominent, clinicians face increasingly strong claims regarding the effects of maxillary expansion on nasal breathing and obstructive sleep apnea. This presentation examines where orthodontic expansion fits within comprehensive airway care, how pediatric and adult interventions differ, which outcomes should be measured, and why anatomical change should not automatically be equated with resolution of disease.

Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize how age, skeletal maturity, craniofacial anatomy, and site of airway obstruction influence treatment selection and expected outcomes.
2. Distinguish dentoalveolar, orthopedic, skeletal, and surgically assisted expansion.
3. Identify patient characteristics that may support or weaken the rationale for expansion.
4. Communicate the potential benefits and limitations of expansion accurately.

Participants will learn how to:

• Differentiate expansion techniques based on patient age, skeletal maturity, and clinical presentation.
• Assess airway obstruction comprehensively before recommending orthodontic expansion.
• Counsel patients on the potential benefits and limitations of expansion using evidence-based expectations.

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Tim Yu is a board-certified orthodontist and a Diplomate of both the American Board of Orthodontics and the American Association of Dental Sleep Medicine. He has advanced training in airway health, craniofacial growth and development, orthodontic management of temporomandibular disorders, and facial esthetics. His comprehensive approach emphasizes collaboration with dentists, sleep physicians, myofunctional therapists, and other healthcare professionals to support each patient’s oral health and overall well-being.

Dr. Yu earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the UCLA School of Dentistry and completed his orthodontic specialty training at the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, where he also received a Master of Science in Dentistry. His research examined the effects of maxillomandibular advancement surgery on obstructive sleep apnea and received recognition from the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research.