Sleep and Breathing for Adults

Snoring is a sleep breathing disorder that can not only disrupt your sleep, but the sleep of those around you. Snoring is not simply a nuisance, it is a strong indicator of sleep apnea. Sleep Apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. This process deprives your body of the oxygen you need to properly function. When your body doesn’t receive the oxygen it needs, it can create a wide range of health problems. And while snoring is common for people with sleep apnea, many people with this condition aren’t even aware of it. Many people who snore or suspect they may have sleep apnea do not seek testing or treatment because of the cumbersome devices used to treat it. Now with Vivos, there is a treatment solution doesn’t require surgery or a lifetime of wearing a cpap or oral device to bed.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) occurs when there is an anatomical blockage of the airway. The most common blockage in adults is the tongue. This occurs when there is not enough room in a person’s mouth for their tongue. If a person has an underdeveloped upper and/or lower jaw, the tongue does not sit in the mouth where it should. When you lay down and your lower jaw relaxes as you sleep your tongue falls back into your airway. This is why people with OSA often snore or can sound like they are choking. Central Sleep Apnea occurs when the brain does not send the right signals to the muscles responsible for breathing. This type of apnea is less common, and cannot be treated by a dentist since the problem is not dentally related.

The Vivos System represents a clinical breakthrough in the treatment of sleep disordered breathing including mild-to-moderate obstructive sleep apnea resulting from underdeveloped upper and lower jaws. Vivos is being called the single biggest breakthrough for mild to moderate OSA since the cpap. This revolutionary approach targets the root cause of sleep disordered breathing without surgery.

The Vivos appliance is a custom designed solution used to widen the upper arch and nasal passages, allowing more optimal airflow, more room for the tongue, and aligning of the bite. The Vivos appliance is worn during the night while you sleep, and is gently expanded over the course of treatment, which is generally between 12 and 24 months. During your treatment, our doctors will document the growth and expansion of your upper arch and airway. The Vivos System is non-surgical, and can permanently treat the obstruction so you can breathe better and don’t have to wear a cpap or sleep device for the rest of your life!

Step 1

At the diagnosis appointment, we take records that include photos, a 3D digital scan, and impressions of your teeth. Dr. Woods has assembled a multidisciplinary healthcare team that will then review your data, records, and test results to establish your diagnosis. Dr. Woods, a board certified Sleep M.D., and a Vivos Technician. These professionals will create your Airway Intelligence Report, which includes your diagnosis and treatment plan. You are unique and your treatment plan and custom Vivos Appliance that is designed from it will be tailored to address your particular condition.

Step 2

At the diagnosis appointment, we take records that include photos, a 3D digital scan, and impressions of your teeth. Dr. Woods has assembled a multidisciplinary healthcare team that will then review your data, records, and test results to establish your diagnosis. Dr. Woods, a board certified Sleep M.D., and a Vivos Technician. These professionals will create your Airway Intelligence Report, which includes your diagnosis and treatment plan. You are unique and your treatment plan and custom Vivos Appliance that is designed from it will be tailored to address your particular condition.

At this appointment, you return to our office for delivery of your Vivos Appliance. Our doctors will tailor the fit of your appliance and give you special instructions regarding its use and wear based upon your treatment goals. In most cases, you will be instructed to wear your Vivos appliance at night.

Step 3

At this appointment, you return to our office for delivery of your Vivos Appliance. Our doctors will tailor the fit of your appliance and give you special instructions regarding its use and wear based upon your treatment goals. In most cases, you will be instructed to wear your Vivos appliance at night.

You will return to our office every 4 – 6 weeks for a brief visit with us. At these appointments, our doctors will tailor your Vivos appliance to fit the new expanded shape of your upper arch and airway. They will also track and document this expansion and provide additional instructions for your appliance wear based upon your progress. Vivos treatment typically takes between 12 and 24 months.

Step 4

You will return to our office every 4 – 6 weeks for a brief visit with us. At these appointments, our doctors will tailor your Vivos appliance to fit the new expanded shape of your upper arch and airway. They will also track and document this expansion and provide additional instructions for your appliance wear based upon your progress. Vivos treatment typically takes between 12 and 24 months.