FVDS Autumn Social

Re-Understanding Facial Growth and Development: A Modern Perspective on Airway, Function, Health, and Esthetics

Modern lifestyles have changed dramatically over the past several generations, bringing with them unintended consequences for craniofacial growth, airway development, and overall health. This lecture explores how factors such as mouth breathing, altered oral posture, dietary changes, and modern environmental influences may contribute to the increasing prevalence of malocclusion, narrow dental arches, and compromised facial development.

Participants will gain a practical understanding of the relationship between breathing, tongue posture, facial growth, and systemic health. The session will review clinical signs of open-mouth breathing and improper tongue position, discuss their potential impact on both dental and overall well-being, and introduce strategies for early identification and intervention.

Through a modern, evidence-informed lens, attendees will leave with a broader appreciation of the role dental professionals can play in recognizing growth-related concerns earlier, supporting healthier development, and helping patients achieve improved function, health, and facial esthetics.

• Better understand how modern day habits shape our faces and occlusion

• Better understand the role of open-mouth breathing on dental and systemic health

• Better understand how we can detect and begin to treat improper tongue position

Dr. Vishal Sharma is an orthodontist and founder of Aura Orthodontics, a multi-location practice serving the Fraser Valley and surrounding communities. A graduate of NYU College of Dentistry, Dr.

Sharma has spent over 15 years in clinical practice integrating digital orthodontics with a sharpening focus on airway, function, and long-term facial development. His work emphasizes the role of breathing, tongue posture, and craniofacial growth in shaping both dental outcomes and overall health. Aura Orthodontics is recognized as a Platinum Top 1% Invisalign Provider and treats both children and adults using a combination of aligner therapy, braces, and growth-guided orthodontics.

Dr. Sharma has a strong passion for both teaching and continuous learning reflected in his lecture series for dental professionals. The first series focuses on practical Invisalign strategies for general practitioners, including case selection, practical mechanics, and clinical workflows that support predictable outcomes with clear aligners. The second explores craniofacial development and its relationship to breathing, sleep, and systemic health, highlighting early indicators of dysfunctional growth patterns and the role dental professionals can play in recognizing and addressing them.