Snoring / Sleep Apnea
What Is It?
OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA is the most common sleep apnea diagnosis. This disorder is caused when soft tissue in the back of your throat relaxes during sleep and blocks your airway. As airflow stops, the oxygen level in your blood drops, causing your brain to kick start the breathing process. This is often accompanied by gasping or choking. Sleep apnea causes your sleep cycle to reset multiple times during the night, which not only affects how you feel when you wake up, but can also lead to chronic conditions. It can even be fatal if the case is severe and left untreated.
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SNORING occurs when a "partial" obstruction, or a constriction of the airway, causes breathed in air to become turbulent. This turbulent air causes vibration of tissues in the nose or throat that we hear as snoring.
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Both snoring AND sleep apnea are results of an airway constriction.
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Our Treatments
   The Daytime Nighttime Appliance (DNA) series from VIVOS Therapeutics uses very light pressure to signal stem cells, located in the palatal suture and periodontal ligament, to develop into bone producing cells. The appliance helps guide the bone formation so the end result is jaw bones in their more ideal position. This will, in turn, create an airway more completely developed and help to minimize or eliminate the symptoms and conditions that come from underdeveloped airways and sleep/breathing problems.Â
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NON-SURGICAL, NON-INVASIVE, and PAIN FREE
Oral Appliance Therapy:
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What Makes the Daytime Nighttime Appliance Different from Other Oral Appliances Options?
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Daytime/Nighttime Benefits
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Repositioning appliances work well when you’re wearing them, but they are typically worn only at night. This means that during the day you may still have breathing problems. The DNA appliance goes beyond repositioning your jaws–it reshapes them. This reshapes your airway, enabling you to breathe more freely. This can have positive effects on your sleep apnea, especially when combined with lifestyle interventions like weight loss, exercise, and habit changes like smoking and alcohol consumption.
While you may not snore during the day (although some do have problems with loud breathing), and your airway may not close off as it does when you’re asleep, restricted breathing can impact you in significant ways throughout the day. You may become winded easily, and may have chronic fatigue. With the use of the DNA, you may see dramatic improvement in these areas. Your breathing will be improved both at night and during the day.
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Learn more about biomimetic oral appliance therapy here
Improve Your Facial Appearance
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Although sleep apnea may be the most critical impact caused by your jaw development, it’s far from the only one. Jaw development also affects your appearance. The shape of the lower third of your face is determined by the shape of your teeth and jaws. If you’ve never been happy with the appearance of your cheeks, lips, and chin, you will likely see a tremendous change thanks to the DNA.
By reshaping your jaws, the DNA can give you fuller lips and cheeks. It can strengthen the chin and give better definition to your jawline. The appearance of wrinkles around the mouth and sagging skin under the chin can be reduced. During your consultation, we can speak in more detail about the specific changes you might see.
Combat Bite Problems Like TMJ
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When your jaws aren’t developed enough to allow for open airways, they may have other functional difficulties as well. These may manifest as any number of bite problems, including temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ), which can cause headaches, facial pain, tooth wear, and other related symptoms.
Although the DNA isn’t specifically intended to relieve TMJ problems, thanks to treatment, many people see improvement or even cure of their TMJ issues.
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Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page to find out more!
Traditional Treatments
CPAP
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Continuous Positive Airway Pressure uses a machine to send pressurized air down a tube, through a mask, and into a patient's airway. The pressure of the machine can be turned up until the air is able to by-pass the obstruction. Downsides tend to be noise, patient discomfort, and difficulty when traveling, as the entire machine system must be packed. CPAP does not do anything to make the underlying situation better, and patients get help ONLY when they wear the device.
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Surgery (UPPP)
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Uvulopalatopharynyoplasty is a surgical technique where, like tonsil removal, soft tissue form the soft palate and throat are removed. Once removed, there is less tissue to obstruct airflow and breathing is improved. The downside to this treatment is the surgical procedure that a patient must endure and the recovery afterwards.
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Surgery (Bimaxillary Advancement)
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The knowledge that it is jaw position which has led to constriction and obstruction of the posterior airway is not a new concept. In fact, surgeons have been doing procedures to surgically cut and advance the upper and/or lower jaws for decades. The obvious negative to treatment like this is the downtime following, what is considered by most to be, a major surgery.
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Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD)
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Because most of the tissues that constrict the airway are connected to the lower jaw bones, simply moving the lower jaw forward can positively improve symptoms of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. A MAD will have little to no effect if the constriction occurs in the nasal area, as these tissues are not moved when the lower jaw is advanced. Downsides to a MAD appliance include possible TMJ / muscle soreness and bite changes. Like the CPAP, the MAD does not address the underlying condition, and is therefore effective ONLY when worn. The patient will receive no benefits in any night's sleep when they are NOT using the appliance.