Airway-Focused Clear Aligners for Adults in Draper, Utah
AIRTHO clear aligners are planned with your breathing in mind. Dr. Jeff Buxton uses them to create and protect room for your tongue and your airflow while your teeth move into place, usually after palate expansion.
★★★★★4.9 on Google · 270+ Toothpillow reviews · Dr. Jeff Buxton, DMD
Straight teeth are the start. Room to breathe is the goal.
Many aligner plans move teeth within the space you already have. If your arch is narrow, that space may be tight for your tongue too, and a tongue with nowhere to rest can drift low and back toward the throat, especially during sleep.
Airway orthodontics starts from a different place. AIRTHO airway orthodontic aligners from Smile Shapers are digitally planned to support a wider arch and more tongue space, so your tongue can rest up against the palate where it belongs. The result we plan for is a smile you like and a mouth with more room to breathe.
- Planned around airway, tongue space, and bite
- Nearly invisible and removable
- Designed to preserve the room created by expansion
AIRTHO may be a fit if you
Are finishing expansion
You've widened your palate with DOMEzero or Vivos and need your teeth guided into the new space.
Have crowding that returned
Your teeth shifted after earlier orthodontic work and you want a plan that looks at why.
Have a narrow smile
Your arch looks narrow at the sides and your tongue feels cramped.
Snore or wake up tired
You want your orthodontic plan to consider how you breathe at night.
Clench or grind
Jaw tension or worn teeth are part of the picture and you want your bite looked at as a whole.
Want something discreet
You'd like clear, removable aligners that fit work, meetings, and daily life.
It all starts with an airway consultation
Before anyone talks treatment, we get the full picture. Your consultation with Dr. Buxton includes:
- A 3D CBCT scan of the airway, jaws, and joints
- A digital intraoral scan (no goopy molds)
- Photos and a hands-on exam of breathing, tongue, and bite
- A plain-language walkthrough of what we see and what your options are
Airway consultation: {$350 for kids and adults}
Your aligner plan is built from your airway scans
Before we plan a single aligner, Dr. Buxton looks at the whole system. Your adult airway consultation includes a 3D CBCT scan of your jaws and airway, a digital intraoral scan, and photos.
We use those records to see how wide your arches are, where your tongue has room, and how your bite comes together. For most adults, we also start with an at-home sleep test, so your aligner plan is part of a full airway plan.
- 3D CBCT imaging of the airway
- Digital intraoral scans for precise planning
- Sleep data for the bigger picture
Where aligners fit in the adult airway protocol
For most adults, clear aligners come after expansion. With bone-anchored expansion, they can start on day one.
Sleep test and consultation
A home sleep test, then 3D imaging and scans with Dr. Buxton in Draper.
Expansion, when needed
If your upper jaw is narrow, we widen it first with DOMEzero (done with Spark aligners), MASPE+ (the same no-gap expansion done with AIRTHO), or Vivos.
Your AIRTHO series
You switch to each new set of aligners on schedule, with regular check-ins so we can track progress.
Finish and protect your results
Some adults add myofunctional therapy to support tongue posture, or QuietNite laser treatment for snoring, which can be done at any point.
Aligners that work with your expansion
Expansion creates room. Aligners decide what happens to it. When the two are planned together, your teeth can settle into a wider arch that leaves space for your tongue and your airflow.
That's why Dr. Buxton pairs AIRTHO aligners with bone-anchored expansion in his MASPE+ protocol (DOMEzero itself is done with Spark aligners). Either way, the aligners manage the front teeth while the palate widens, so patients can avoid the large gap typical of traditional MARPE. Aligners alone are rarely the whole answer for sleep-disordered breathing, but as part of a complete plan, many patients find them a comfortable, discreet way to finish.
If snoring or sleep apnea brought you here, see how aligners fit into our sleep apnea treatment plan.
What patients and families say
Real Google reviews from our Draper office, Dr. Buxton's patients, and Toothpillow families. Individual experiences; every airway is different.
"Dr. Buxton really cares about his patients. I couldn't be happier with the results! ... Not to mention the new office and decor are absolutely stunning. Everyone in the office is so friendly!"
"Love this place so much! They Have helped me with my kids but also myself. AMAZING!!!"
"I love the professionalism the all Buxton Dentistry staff have. I love the customer service skills and Dr Buxton has a lot knowledge about his profession also he loves what he does that is the reason he is so happy always smile to his patients"
Frequently asked questions
What are AIRTHO clear aligners?
AIRTHO is the airway-oriented clear aligner system we use. They're airway orthodontic aligners, digitally planned to straighten teeth while supporting a wider arch and more room for the tongue, as part of an airway-first treatment plan.
How are airway aligners different from other clear aligners?
Most clear aligners are planned mainly around how the teeth look. AIRTHO plans also consider arch width, tongue space, and bite, and they're usually coordinated with palate expansion and sleep data.
Do I need expansion before clear aligners?
Can clear aligners help with snoring or sleep apnea?
Aligners alone are rarely enough for sleep-disordered breathing, but as part of a full plan they may help support tongue space and nasal breathing. Sleep apnea is a medical diagnosis, so we use sleep testing and coordinate with your physician.
How long will I wear aligners?
It depends on how much your teeth need to move and whether expansion is part of your plan. Dr. Buxton gives you a timeline after reviewing your scans at your consultation.
Treatments that often go together
DOMEzero Expansion
Adult palate expansion paired with clear aligners from day one, designed to widen the upper jaw without the big front-tooth gap.
Learn more →
MARPE Expansion
A palate expander for adults, anchored with small anchors in the bone and designed to widen a narrow upper jaw.
Learn more →
Sleep Apnea Treatment
Snoring, waking tired, or struggling with CPAP? An airway-first plan that starts with a sleep test and looks for the root cause.
Learn more →Schedule your airway consultation
Book online or call. Consultations for kids, teens, and adults at our Draper office.
14203 Minuteman Drive #101
Draper, UT 84020
Just off I-15, minutes from IKEA
Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM
"Great place! They are doing it differently. Well done!"
Request Your Airway Consultation
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