What is Craniodental Osteopathy?
Craniodental Osteopathy combines gentle osteopathic care with specialised dental assessment and appliance therapy to support healthy jaw growth, airway development, breathing, sleep, posture, and nervous system regulation.
At Sports & Spinal Group, care is provided collaboratively by Dentist Dr Sally Fairbairn and our Craniodental Osteopaths.
Who can benefit from Craniodental Osteopathy?
Families often seek support for children experiencing:
- Mouth breathing
- Snoring or restless sleep
- Crowded teeth or jaw development concerns
- Difficulty concentrating
- Big emotions or sensory sensitivities
- Headaches or facial tension
- Postural concerns
- Speech or swallowing challenges
- Tongue tie history
- Chronic congestion or airway concerns
What is the connection between breathing, sleep and jaw development?
The way a child breathes can influence how their jaw, face, airway and posture develop over time.
Difficulties with breathing or airway development may contribute to sleep disruption, mouth breathing, poor tongue posture, fatigue, concentration difficulties, and challenges with emotional regulation.
What happens at the first Craniodental appointment?
Your initial appointment is a joint consultation with the dentist and osteopath.
Together, we assess:
- Jaw and facial development
- Airway and breathing patterns
- Bite and tongue posture
- Head and neck alignment
- Posture and movement patterns
- Sleep and developmental history
We then discuss our findings and whether ongoing support may be beneficial.
Is Craniodental Osteopathy safe for children?
Yes.
Treatment is gentle, non-invasive, and tailored to your child’s age, comfort, and stage of development.
Sessions are performed slowly, explained in child-friendly language, and always with your child's safety and wellbeing as the priority.
What techniques do you use?
Treatment may include:
- Gentle cranial osteopathy
- Jaw and facial development support
- Breathing and airway-focused care
- Nervous system regulation support
- Dental appliance therapy where appropriate
Every treatment plan is individualised to suit your child.
What are VIVOS and ALF appliances?
VIVOS and ALF are lightweight dental appliances designed to support healthy jaw, airway, and facial development.
VIVOS
- Removable appliance
- Often suited to younger children or milder cases
- Fewer adjustment appointments required
ALF (Advanced Lightwire Functional)
- Lightweight wire appliance
- Works alongside cranial and facial development
- Requires regular collaborative reviews with both dentist and osteopath
Does every child need an appliance?
No.
Some children benefit from osteopathic care, breathing support, and ongoing monitoring without requiring an appliance.
If an appliance is recommended, we will explain why and discuss the most appropriate options.
How long does Craniodental treatment take?
Every child is different.
Many treatment plans run for approximately 12 months, although timelines vary depending on age, developmental stage, treatment goals, and whether an appliance is being used.
Will my child need ongoing appointments?
Most children benefit from regular reviews to monitor growth and development.
The frequency of appointments depends on the treatment plan:
- VIVOS programs generally involve regular osteopathy appointments with periodic joint reviews.
- ALF programs involve regular joint appointments with both the dentist and osteopath.
Do I need a referral?
No referral is required.
You can book a Craniodental consultation directly through Sports & Spinal Group.
What is the difference between ALF and traditional orthodontics?
Traditional orthodontics primarily focuses on tooth alignment.
ALF therapy aims to support broader jaw, airway, cranial, and facial development while working with natural growth patterns.
Our collaborative approach also considers breathing, posture, sleep, and nervous system function.
Why is early airway and jaw development important?
Healthy airway and jaw development may support:
- Nasal breathing
- Better sleep quality
- Daytime energy and focus
- Posture and movement
- Emotional regulation
- Facial growth and development
- Long-term oral health
Early support can help guide development during important growth years.
Can Craniodental Osteopathy help with sleep concerns?
Many families seek assessment when their child experiences:
- Snoring
- Mouth breathing
- Restless sleep
- Frequent waking
- Daytime fatigue
Our team assesses whether airway, jaw, breathing, or developmental factors may be contributing.
Where can I access Craniodental Osteopathy in Bayside Melbourne?
Sports & Spinal Group provides Craniodental Osteopathy services from our Bayside Melbourne clinics.
We support families from Hampton, Beaumaris, Sandringham, Black Rock, Brighton, Highett, Cheltenham, Mentone, Mordialloc, and surrounding Bayside suburbs.
Can adults benefit from Craniodental treatment?
Yes.
While many patients are children, adults experiencing airway concerns, jaw tension, headaches, sleep issues, postural challenges, or ongoing facial discomfort may also benefit from assessment and collaborative care.
Can private health insurance be used for appointments?
In many cases, yes.
Receipts are provided following appointments, and eligible services may be claimed through applicable private health insurance extras cover. Our team can help answer any questions regarding billing and claiming.
How do I get started?
Simply contact Sports & Spinal Group to book an Initial Craniodental Consultation.
Your journey begins with a collaborative assessment involving both the dentist and osteopath, allowing us to understand how your child’s breathing, sleep, jaw development, posture, and overall wellbeing may be connected.
