Early, gentle care for your child’s breathing, sleep, and development
We do not begin with teeth. We begin with how your child breathes, sleeps, and develops.
These foundational patterns shape everything: facial growth, behavior, attention, airway health, and long-term wellness.
This level of care is fundamentally different from traditional dentistry or orthodontics. Rather than waiting for problems to appear, we look for early signs of dysfunction—often subtle, often overlooked—that can influence a child’s health for years to come.
Nasal breathing, tongue posture, and airway space are evaluated before anything else.
Snoring, restless nights, and grinding can be early signs of airway dysfunction.
We guide jaw and facial growth while it can still be supported naturally.
With close to 15 years of experience, Dr. Varno is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry—a distinction held by only about 6% of general dentists. She is an active member of the IAOMT and a Certified Member of the Academy of Biomimetic Dentistry, and her early career included work in pediatric dentistry.
She cares for children through holistic, prevention-focused, minimally invasive methods and non-metal, biocompatible materials, so visits stay positive and stress-free. Our pediatric airway program serves families from:
These symptoms are often early indicators of airway dysfunction and improper oral development.
Addressing these signs early can significantly change your child’s long-term health trajectory.
Poor sleep quality can show up as frustration, outbursts, or aggression during the day.
Sleep-disordered breathing can look like restlessness and trouble sitting still.
Fragmented sleep affects memory, attention, and performance at school.
Children who don’t sleep well may seem withdrawn, low, or tired.
Children do not need the same treatment at every age. What they need is the right intervention at the right time.
Our approach to pediatric airway dentistry in Richmond is not based on a fixed sequence of treatments. It is a carefully guided process that begins with understanding the child as a whole—how they breathe, how they function, and how they are developing.
By addressing the root causes of airway dysfunction and growth imbalance early, we are often able to reduce—or even avoid—the need for extractions, traditional braces, or more invasive procedures later in life.
Breathing, function, and growth are evaluated together before any recommendation.
Sometimes that means early guidance and monitoring. Sometimes it means intervention.
Care is matched to your child’s development and readiness, not their age alone.
Early root-cause care can reduce the need for extractions or traditional braces.
Gentle laser frenectomy for infants, newborns & growing children
For many children, the earliest signs of airway or developmental imbalance begin in infancy. Restricted oral tissues—tongue ties, lip ties, and cheek (buccal) ties—can interfere with some of the most fundamental functions of early life.
Parents may notice:
As a child grows, these same restrictions can continue to affect nasal breathing, tongue posture, speech development, and proper jaw growth—often contributing to airway concerns and early orthodontic issues if left unaddressed.
We provide gentle, precise laser frenectomies for infants, newborns, and children. Advanced laser technology allows for a minimally invasive experience with reduced bleeding, improved comfort, and a smoother healing process.
What matters most is not simply releasing the tissue—but restoring function.
When the tongue moves freely, it can rest naturally against the palate, support nasal breathing, and guide healthy jaw development from the earliest stages of life. That is what creates meaningful, lasting change.
We work with a collaborative team to prepare the body before the procedure and support proper function afterward.
Orthodontics, in our philosophy, is not the goal. It is one of many tools used to support proper breathing, sleep, jaw development, and overall health.
When feeding challenges, mouth breathing, or low tongue posture appear early, we identify patterns and connect families with the right support—feeding specialists, IBCLCs, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists.
Through natural chewing activity, MyoMunchee stimulates the muscles of the face, tongue, and airway, helping children develop awareness of proper oral posture and breathing patterns.
Unlike traditional orthodontics, which often focuses on straightening teeth alone, this approach guides the teeth, jaws, and airway together. Treatment may include:
For a narrow upper jaw that limits airway space and tooth alignment, this gentle, guided process gradually widens the palate—improving airflow, supporting nasal breathing, and creating room for proper alignment.
Retraining the muscles of the tongue, lips, and airway establishes the functional patterns needed for healthy growth. It is guided by developmental readiness—starting with a simplified, supportive approach for younger children and moving to full therapy as they mature.
Introduced in select cases as children become developmentally ready. Myobrace addresses the functional causes of misalignment—mouth breathing, improper tongue posture, incorrect swallowing, and reduced muscle tone—using removable appliances and guided exercises.
To maintain results and prevent relapse, expansion is integrated with myofunctional therapy and, in select cases, adjunctive approaches like Myobrace. This ensures that:
Some children require very little intervention. Others benefit from more structured support. The key is understanding what is needed—and when.
Schedule an evaluationWhen airway development is addressed early and thoughtfully, the outcomes can be transformative. Our goal is not to follow a fixed sequence of treatments, but to provide the right intervention at the right time, based on each child’s needs, development, and readiness.
May never need orthodontics at all.
Require simpler, shorter treatment.
Benefit from improved breathing and healthier development.
Early guidance can change the trajectory of your child’s health. We provide comprehensive airway evaluations and personalized care for families across the region.
Answers for parents in Richmond, VA and the families who travel to see us.
Book appointmentMany parents first notice feeding-related challenges. Signs in newborns and infants may include difficulty latching, clicking sounds while feeding, prolonged or inefficient nursing, reflux-like symptoms, excessive gas, or poor weight gain.
Mothers may also experience discomfort during breastfeeding. As children grow, tongue and lip ties can contribute to mouth breathing, speech delays, and improper jaw development. A proper evaluation by an airway-focused biological dentist can determine whether a restriction is present and whether treatment is appropriate.
A laser frenectomy is a gentle, precise procedure used to release restricted oral tissues such as tongue ties, lip ties, and cheek (buccal) ties. We use advanced dental laser technology, which allows for minimal bleeding, reduced discomfort, and faster healing compared to traditional methods.
When performed by an experienced provider and supported with proper pre- and post-care, frenectomy is considered safe and effective for newborns and infants.
Not all tongue ties require treatment. The decision is based on function, not just appearance. If a tongue tie is affecting feeding, breathing, oral posture, or development, treatment may be recommended. If function is not impacted, monitoring may be appropriate.
Our approach is always conservative, individualized, and based on what is best for your child.
A tongue tie restricts the movement of the tongue, a lip tie affects the upper lip, and a cheek tie (buccal tie) restricts the cheeks.
Each affects different structures, but all can influence feeding, breathing, and oral development. In many cases, multiple restrictions are present and need to be evaluated together.
Releasing the tissue is only the first step. For optimal results, the body must adapt to the new range of motion.
This often involves working with IBCLCs, occupational therapists, or myofunctional therapists to support proper tongue function, feeding patterns, and oral posture. Without this support, the benefits of the procedure may be limited.
Pediatric airway dentistry focuses on how a child’s breathing, sleep, and oral development are connected. Rather than only treating teeth, it evaluates airway function, jaw growth, tongue posture, and breathing patterns. The goal is to identify and address early signs of dysfunction—often before more serious issues develop.
Common signs include mouth breathing, snoring, restless sleep, teeth grinding, difficulty focusing, behavioral concerns, and dark circles under the eyes.
Some children may also have narrow jaws, crowded teeth, or a history of tongue tie or feeding challenges. These symptoms are often interconnected and may point to underlying airway dysfunction.
Evaluation can begin very early—even in infancy if feeding or breathing concerns are present. For airway and developmental concerns, earlier is often better. Many children benefit from evaluation between ages 3–6, when growth can still be guided effectively.
However, it is never too late to assess and support your child’s development.
Myobrace is a form of functional orthodontic therapy that focuses on correcting the underlying causes of misalignment rather than simply straightening teeth.
It works by improving breathing patterns, tongue posture, and muscle function using removable appliances and exercises. In many cases, Myobrace can reduce the need for traditional braces or more invasive orthodontic treatment.
Palatal expansion is a gentle orthodontic approach used to widen a narrow upper jaw. This can improve airflow, support nasal breathing, create space for teeth, and reduce crowding.
When combined with functional therapies, expansion can play a key role in improving both airway health and long-term stability.
In some cases, yes. By addressing the root causes of airway and developmental issues early, we can often reduce the severity of orthodontic problems or eliminate the need for more complex treatment later.
Even when orthodontics is still needed, it is often simpler, shorter, and more stable.
Yes. Families travel to Virginia Biological Dentistry from across Glen Allen, Short Pump, Henrico County, Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland for our specialized pediatric airway and biological dental care.
Contact our office directly at (804) 381-6238 for new patients or (804) 740-4485 for existing patients. During your child’s visit, we perform a comprehensive airway and functional evaluation and provide clear, personalized recommendations based on your child’s needs.
