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Dr. Mogavero – A Breath of Fresh Air
Dr. Frank Mogavero opened his orthodontics practice 25 years ago this month, and he set out to “make a real difference” in peoples’ lives. “I wanted to offer a service to my patients that would improve confidence and quality of life…and I wanted it to be fun!” Thousands of gorgeous smiles later, Dr. Mogavero sees the results of his efforts daily.
Dr. Mogavero’s office was designed to meet the interests of both kids and adults. Real chairlifts from Mammoth Mountain, wall-to-wall sports photography and his fantastic Team set the tone for a comfortable, easy and fun experience. “The kids love checking out all the X-Games photos and athlete autographs—and they may even see a familiar face when they visit!”
Throughout his career, Dr. Mogavero has been an enthusiastic advocate of early intervention orthodontics, and he’s learned that this approach results in much more than straight teeth for his patients. The greater medical community is just catching up to methods developed from breakthroughs in orthodontics referred to as “airway centered dentistry” or “orthotropics.”
Starting treatment at age seven to nine—referred to as “Phase I”—not only expands the palate to allow for proper growth trajectory for teeth, but it also helps clear the airway for patients who experience obstruction—most often unknowingly. “It’s not normal for kids to snore,” explains Dr. Mogavero. “Snoring is caused by an obstructed airway. This often leads to oxygen desaturation in the blood, which causes spikes in heart rate and restless sleep. Many symptoms often attributed to asthma or allergies are actually caused by correctable airway issues. Creating space orthopedically can virtually eliminate chronic symptoms like fatigue, teeth grinding, latent bed wetting, morning sore throat, acid reflux, red eyes and mouth-breathing. All of these problems adversely affect facial growth and lead to serious adult conditions if left untreated, including heart disease.”
A new tool is available to help assess breathing in children and adults. “We send the patient home with a high-resolution pulse oximeter (HRPO), which measures oxygen saturation while sleeping,” says Mogavero. “The results tell us how many ‘desaturation events’ occur. We measure again after treatment is implemented, and the difference is sometimes shocking.” For example, after only two months of palate expansion treatment, 11-year-old Chase (featured on this month’s cover with Dr. Mogavero) went from 36 “events” to only 17, resulting in much-improved sleep and quality of life.
In another case, Paige, age four, was snoring heavily and was chronically tired during the day. An ENT surgeon removed her tonsils and adenoids, but Paige experienced only marginal relief. After a consultation with Dr. Mogavero, it was discovered that Paige’s snoring, fatigue, and thumb-sucking were all symptoms of airway obstruction. After Phase I palate expansion, her symptoms have abated. Paige’s mom Brandy, a Registered Nurse, is grateful. “She sleeps restfully now, and her energy level has improved,” says Brandy. “Thanks to Dr. Mogavero and his staff for taking such great care of my daughter.”
Using both braces and Invisalign, Dr. Mogavero creates beautiful smiles for adults, too. “Invisalign ‘invisible braces’ are especially convenient for adult patients,” he says, “They’re removable, so treatment is well-suited for patients who need more flexibility.”
Come in for a consultation at Dr. Mogavero’s tricked-out office in San Clemente and check out some of the heart-stopping X-Games moments he’s captured on Instagram @drfrankm. Visit SyncYourSmile.com for more information about Dr. Mogavero’s orthodontic practice or to request an appointment.
Board Certified orthodontist Dr. Mogavero, his wife Anna, and their four children reside in San Clemente.
San Clemente • 949.373.3737 • 1031 Avenida Pico • Suite 101
San Juan Capistrano • 949.493.7300 • 31726 Rancho Viejo Road • Suite 103
