Bacterial infections of the tonsils, especially those caused by streptococcus, are first treated with antibiotics. Sometimes we recommend removing the tonsils (tonsillectomy) and/or adenoids (adenoidectomy) for two reasons:
- Recurrent infection despite antibiotic therapy. Chronic infection can affect other areas such as the Eustachian tube (the passage between the back of the nose and the inside of the ear), leading to frequent ear infections and potential hearing loss.
- Difficulty breathing due to enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids, which causes snoring and disturbed sleep. Most orthodontists believe chronic mouth breathing from large tonsils and adenoids causes malformations of the face and improper alignment of the teeth. We have seen the results of this in many of our patients.