Best Airway Orthodontist in Denver, CO
aligned. Orthodontics is the airway orthodontist we recommend in Denver. Dr. Amanda Vanderstelt sees patients at her office on South Pearl Street in Platt Park, a few blocks from Washington Park.
She works on the jaw and palate side of breathing problems. Kids can get a palatal expander while they are still growing. Adults can be evaluated for MARPE, a way to widen the upper jaw without jaw surgery. Dr. Vanderstelt is a board-certified orthodontist who trained at the University of Colorado.
If your child sleeps with an open mouth every night, or you wake up tired no matter how long you were in bed, a visit here starts with your airway and then looks at your bite.
Not sure yet? Take the 1-minute quiz first.
Why aligned. Orthodontics is on this list
Every practice in this guide has to pass the same checks before it is listed. Here is how aligned. did.
- 1
Patients praise the care
Patients write about a calm office, clear explanations and a doctor who knows her field. Here are two of the Google reviews.
Dr. V is so incredibly knowledgeable and great at what she does.
Danielle E. on Google I’m over the moon happy with my results.
Stephanie C. on Google These are two reviews from a much longer list, and the full set is on Google.
- 2
The practice explains airway care in the open
aligned. publishes its own guides on airway-centric orthodontics in Denver, sleep and breathing and a research library, so you can read before you book.
- 3
The doctor’s training is on the record
Check it on the AAO Find an Orthodontist page, which lists Dr. Vanderstelt as board certified by the American Board of Orthodontics.
Ready to see if your family is a fit? A consultation is the first step.
The doctor at aligned. Orthodontics
Dr. Amanda Vanderstelt
Board-certified orthodontist. DMD from the University of Louisville, orthodontic specialty certificate and master’s degree from the University of Colorado. Read her full background.
Dr. Vanderstelt spent about ten years in a multidisciplinary practice before opening her own on South Pearl Street. She checks the airway on every case instead of treating it as an afterthought.
She also knows the patient side. As a child she had large tonsils and breathed through her mouth, and her jaws grew narrow. She says she was advised to have four teeth pulled and was never sent for an expander or an ENT visit.
As an adult she went through MARPE herself and shares what it felt like in a YouTube video further down this page.
Want to talk it through with her?
What an airway orthodontist does
An airway orthodontist looks at how the jaws, palate and tongue affect the way you breathe, then plans orthodontic care with that in mind.
At aligned., Dr. Vanderstelt evaluates your smile, facial structure and airway together. The practice calls these the three As: airway, alignment and aesthetics.
She does not diagnose sleep apnea. Adults are asked to bring a sleep study from the past year, and she treats the jaw and palate side.
Why jaw and palate shape matter for breathing
The roof of your mouth is the floor of your nose, so a narrow upper jaw can mean less room to breathe. These are the patterns that make her look closer:
- A narrow upper jaw and a high, narrow palate
- Mouth breathing that continues after a cold or allergy season ends
- A crossbite or a bite that does not close
- Crowded teeth with little room to come in
- Enlarged tonsils or adenoids, which an ENT should look at
aligned. covers the details in its guide to airway orthodontics in Denver.
Who else may be involved
Airway problems rarely have one cause. Dr. Vanderstelt works with:
- Your pediatrician or dentist for general care
- An ENT, if tonsils, adenoids, allergies or nasal structure are suspected
- A myofunctional therapist for tongue and lip posture, which the practice refers out
- A sleep medicine team for sleep-disordered breathing
Signs you or your child may need an airway evaluation
Signs in children
Sleep and breathing
- Snoring or noisy breathing
- Open-mouth sleep or drooling on the pillow
- Restless sleep, tossing and turning
- Teeth grinding or clenching
- Bedwetting past the usual age
Daytime
- Waking up unrefreshed
- Dry or chapped lips
- A nose that never fully clears
- Eating with the mouth open
- Trouble with focus
Face and teeth
- Lips that are hard to close at rest
- A longer, narrower face
- Dark shadows under the eyes
- Crowded teeth or a high, narrow palate
- A crossbite or an open bite
Signs in adults
Adults often notice jaw clenching, morning headaches, a dry mouth, loud snoring, or a partner who watches them stop breathing. A narrow arch with crowded teeth can be a clue too.
Any one of these can have an ordinary cause. A pattern is what is worth an exam.
If you ever see pauses in breathing, gasping or choking during sleep, talk to your doctor first and soon.
Quick check: is it worth asking about airway?
Answer yes or no for yourself or your child. It takes about a minute.
Palatal expanders for kids and MARPE for adults
Palatal expanders for children
A palatal expander gently widens the upper jaw while a child’s palate is still growing. aligned. uses it for a narrow upper jaw, a crossbite or crowding.
It does not fix enlarged tonsils or allergies, and not every child with crowded teeth needs one. Dr. Vanderstelt may suggest waiting and rechecking in about six months instead of starting early.
A typical path looks like this:
- An exam with a digital scan and a low-radiation 3D image
- A plan that explains whether an expander makes sense
- An expander placed and adjusted on the schedule the team gives you
- Braces or monitoring afterward, if the exam calls for it
- A visit with your child’s ENT or pediatrician when they are involved
More in the practice’s guide to child mouth breathing in Denver.
MARPE for adults
MARPE stands for miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion. A custom expander is anchored to the teeth and to a few small temporary screws in the palate, so it can widen the upper jaw in an adult without surgery.
It fits adults with a narrow upper jaw, crowding, a crossbite or nasal airway restriction. It does not move the jaws forward. A recessed jaw, a blockage behind the tongue or moderate to severe sleep apnea may call for jaw surgery or a sleep medicine team instead.
Widening takes weeks to a few months, and the expander usually stays in nine to twelve months while new bone fills in.
Read the practice’s guide to MARPE in Denver.
How the practice decides if treatment is needed
aligned. says not every case is an airway case, and Dr. Vanderstelt will tell you so. The exam sorts out what needs attention now and what can wait.
- A growing child with a narrow upper jaw, crowding or a crossbite may be a candidate for early treatment.
- A child who snores or breathes through the mouth may need an ENT first, or alongside orthodontics.
- A teen or adult with a narrow arch and nasal restriction may be a MARPE candidate.
- Someone with a recessed jaw or a blockage behind the tongue may be pointed toward jaw surgery or a sleep specialist.
- Someone who only wants straighter teeth can choose braces or Invisalign, with the airway checked along the way.
The deciding step is the exam, with a 3D image, a digital scan and a conversation about your history.
When airway orthodontics is not the answer
Snoring and mouth breathing can come from tonsils, adenoids, allergies or a deviated septum. Braces do not fix those, and Dr. Vanderstelt does not claim braces cure sleep apnea.
If the exam points to a medical cause, she sends you to the right specialist and may suggest rechecking later.
What happens at your first visit
The visit is at the Platt Park office on South Pearl Street. Here is how it goes.
- 1
You tell the team what you are noticing, from snoring and tired mornings to a narrow smile or jaw pain.
- 2
Dr. Vanderstelt examines your smile, facial structure and airway. The team takes a digital scan of your teeth and a low-radiation 3D image.
- 3
She explains what she sees and what, if anything, she recommends. A treatment coordinator then goes over financing and next steps.
Airway consultations are complimentary for children 13 and under. For patients 14 and older, the practice lists a $250 consultation fee, and adults are asked to bring a sleep study from the past year.
You do not need a referral. See the practice’s first visit page for more.
What patients say about aligned. Orthodontics
These reviews load straight from the practice’s Google profile. You can also read them on Google.
Ready to see what a visit is like?
Where to find aligned. Orthodontics
aligned. Orthodontics1215 S Pearl StDenver, CO 80210Phone: (303) 521-3333
- Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Free parking behind the building. Come in through the alley from E. Arizona Ave or E. Louisiana Ave.
The office is on South Pearl Street in Platt Park, just south of Washington Park.
aligned. Orthodontics, Platt Park1215 S Pearl St, Denver, CO 80210
Where aligned. Orthodontics patients come from
Families come to Platt Park from across the Denver metro. These are the areas the practice lists, with its own off-peak drive-time estimates from the office.
Close to the office
Platt Park, Washington Park, University Park (about 5 minutes), University Hills (about 6), Capitol Hill and Englewood (about 7), Virginia Village (about 8), Hampden South (8 to 10) and Sheridan (about 9).
Cherry Creek and central Denver
Cherry Creek, Congress Park, Bonnie Brae, Baker and the University of Denver area.
South and southwest
Southwest Denver and Littleton (10 to 25 minutes) and the area near Greenwood Village (12 to 15).
West
Lakewood (13 to 15 minutes) and Wheat Ridge (17 to 20).
East and northeast
Lowry and Park Hill (15 to 20 minutes), Central Park and Aurora (20 to 25).
Coming from farther?
These are off-peak estimates, so add time for rush hour and check directions for your appointment time.
Airway orthodontist questions in Denver
Is there an airway orthodontist in Denver?
+
Yes. Dr. Amanda Vanderstelt of aligned. Orthodontics is a board-certified orthodontist on South Pearl Street in Platt Park. She checks the airway on every case and sees children and adults for airway concerns.
Does an airway orthodontist treat sleep apnea?
+
An airway orthodontist works on the jaw and palate side. Dr. Vanderstelt does not diagnose sleep apnea and does not claim braces cure it. Adults are asked to bring a sleep study from the past year, and some cases need an ENT or a sleep medicine team. See her page on airway orthodontics and sleep quality.
How much does an airway consultation cost?
+
Airway consultations are complimentary for children 13 and under, and the practice lists a $250 consultation fee for patients 14 and older. Treatment cost depends on the case, and the team goes over pricing at the visit. The practice lists interest-free payment plans, insurance, HSA and FSA, and family discounts.
Do I need a referral to see an airway orthodontist in Denver?
+
No. You can book directly with aligned., and no referral from your dentist is required. Your dentist still matters for cleanings and checkups during treatment.
When should my child see an orthodontist about breathing?
+
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a first check around age 7. aligned. will see younger children when there is a clear reason, such as snoring, mouth breathing or a narrow palate. More in the guide to child mouth breathing in Denver.
Does mouth breathing always mean my child needs an expander?
+
No. Mouth breathing can come from tonsils, adenoids or allergies, and an expander helps only when a narrow upper jaw is part of the picture. Dr. Vanderstelt works with ENTs and may suggest rechecking in about six months instead of starting early.
Can adults get airway orthodontic treatment?
+
Yes. Depending on the exam and a sleep study, adults can be evaluated for MARPE, for braces or Invisalign and clear aligners that broaden the arch, and in some cases for jaw surgery.
How long does MARPE take?
+
Active widening takes weeks to a few months, and the expander usually stays in about nine to twelve months while new bone fills in. The practice discusses what comes after, such as braces or aligners, at your visit.
Does MARPE hurt?
+
The practice describes pressure rather than pain during placement and turns, and soreness that over-the-counter pain relievers usually manage. A gap can open between the front teeth during expansion, which usually closes afterward, and speech and eating can feel different for about a week.
Where is the office and where do I park?
+
The office is at 1215 S Pearl St in Platt Park, just south of Washington Park. Parking is free behind the building, and you reach it through the alley from E. Arizona Ave or E. Louisiana Ave.
I live outside Denver. Can I still come?
+
Yes. The practice lists patients from Englewood, Sheridan, Littleton, Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, Aurora and more, with off-peak drive times of about 5 to 25 minutes from the office.
Does aligned. also offer braces and Invisalign?
+
Yes. The practice offers Damon braces, lingual braces, Invisalign and clear aligners for kids, teens and adults. Its consultation for braces or Invisalign is complimentary.
Still have a question? Ask the team when you book.
Start with a consultation
If you have been wondering whether snoring, mouth breathing or crowded teeth share one cause, a visit at aligned. Orthodontics is the place to find out. Airway consultations are complimentary for children 13 and under.
Not in Denver? Find an airway orthodontist near you, or see all Colorado practices.
Hear it from Dr. Vanderstelt
Dr. Vanderstelt went through MARPE herself and talks about what it was like. The video starts when you press play.
Hear her on podcasts
Two long conversations with Dr. Vanderstelt on why airway comes first.