This document discusses airway and facial development, evolution, and how environmental stressors can lead to unintended physiological consequences and compromises. It explores the difference between competencies developed through genetic evolution and design, and compensations developed through environmental influences and stress, which can result in secondary dysfunctions. Specifically, it examines how competent behaviors and functions in children can be replaced by compensatory parafunctions due to environmental factors like mouth breathing, which can ultimately lead to malocclusions and other structural asymmetries if left unaddressed.

1. Airway and Facial
Development
The Airway
And
Facial Development
Cycle
Evolution
And
Darwinian
Dentistry:
Competencies
The
Changing
Environment:
Stressors
The
Reacting
Physiology:
Compensations
Unintended
Consequences:
Compromises

2. Daniel Lieberman
• Paleontologist, Harvard

3. Adaptations and Natural Selection
Adaptation
Survival and
Reproductive Success
NoYes
Dysevolution
Compromises
Evolution
Competencies

4. Competence vs. Compensation
Competence Compensation
Genetic
by Evolution and Design
Epigenetic
by Environment and Stress
Physiologic Function Parafunction
Balance
and
Health
Homeostasis
with
Secondary Compromises
“Dysfunction”

5. Competence vs. Compensation
Parafunction
Every
has a
Function Dysfunctionand aCompetence
Compensation
Compromise

6. The reality is
probably more
of a spiral than
either of the
individual
processes
Fever
Swollen Tonsils
Open Mouth, Low Tongue
Narrow Palate
Weak MM Musculature
Long Face
Tongue Thrust Swallow
Malocclusion
FormFunction
Every Parafunction has a Function and a Dysfunction

7. Competent vs Compromised Child
Competency Compensation Compromise
•Nasal breathing
•Lip competence
•Tongue on Palate
•Tongue range of motion
•Efficient chew/swallow
•Diaphragmatic breathing
•Good posture
•Breastfeeding
•Strong mast’ry muscles
•1o Cranial Respiration
•Mouthbreathing
•Hyperactive Mentalis
•Hyperactive Buccinators
•Low tongue posture
•Facial muscles active
•Chronic hyperventilation
•Strain against gravity
•Non-nutritive sucking
•Sugary, processed diet
•Structural Asymmetries
•Jaw Retrusion
•Crowded Incisors
•Narrow dental arches
•Maxillary dystrophy
•Tongue Thrust
•Asthma, Fatigue
•Pain, limited motion
•Malocclusion
•Leaky-gut dysbiosis
•Nerve/Vessel impingement

8. Malocclusion is caused by
Growth and Development...
Genotype Phenotype
Total Growth

9. Malocclusion is caused by
Growth and Development and
Compensation...
Genotype Phenotype
Total Growth