16
Aug
4 Frequently Asked Questions About the Vivos DNA Appliance
In the US, approximately 18 million people have sleep apnea, and the actual numbers may be even higher due to many undiagnosed cases. Many people associate sleep apnea with snoring loudly. However, this sleep disorder is much more than that! Sleep apnea disrupts your sleep and breathing, causing disruptions beyond the night. Furthermore, untreated sleep apnea has been associated with cardiovascular issues, diabetes, hypertension, and other systemic conditions.
David A. Goodman, DMD Alan C. Ko, DMD understands the “burden” of living with sleep apnea. Drs. Alan Ko, Brittany Bressler, and Saeed Kashefi offer the Vivos DNA appliance to treat the root cause of most sleep apnea cases. This non-surgical treatment is simple, yet it addresses the underlying causes of sleep apnea.
What is sleep apnea?
It’s a sleep-disordered breathing condition characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep. These pauses in breathing can last from a few seconds to a minute and occur multiple times an hour, leading to poor sleep quality and reduced oxygen supply to the body.
The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), in which the airway becomes wholly or partially blocked when the throat muscles relax. Common symptoms of OSA include loud snoring, daytime fatigue, and restless sleep.
How does the Vivos appliance work?
Traditionally, dentists treat obstructive sleep apnea with CPAP therapy or sleep apnea oral appliances. While these methods work, they don’t treat the underlying cause of sleep apnea. The Vivos system addresses the root cause of airway obstruction during sleep.
While several factors cause OSA, the most common are underdeveloped jaws or narrow dental arches. The Vivos® daytime-nighttime appliance (DNA) system incrementally expands the palate to create space needed in the airway to breathe comfortably while sleeping. This retainer-like device remodels bones to increase the size of the upper jaw, correcting the airway structure without surgery.
Call Our Office for More Information
New Patients: (508) 850-0686 | Existing Patients: (508) 478-3800
Request an Appointment
What are the treatment steps for Vivos?
Patients seeking to benefit from Vivos therapy should schedule a consultation first. If you haven’t been diagnosed with OSA, our office will coordinate how to get a home sleep test to confirm your diagnosis.
After your diagnosis, our team will examine your head and neck by taking digital scans and photos of your oral structures. Then, we’ll take airway measurements to devise an effective treatment plan.
Using your mouth dimensions, we will craft a Vivos device for you to wear 10-12 hours daily. Typically, patients wear it after dinner and stay put overnight. Depending on the severity of your case, a typical treatment lasts 12-24 months. The Vivos therapy gradually expands your jaw, eliminating sleep apnea symptoms and TMJ pain.
What are the benefits of the Vivos system?
Vivos treatment offers a lasting solution for addressing sleep apnea and snoring. Patients who opt for the Vivos therapy enjoy the following benefits.
- Discreet treatment
- Comfortable experience
- Noiseless therapy
- The device is easy to travel with
- Long-term sleep apnea relief
- It’s ideal for patients of all ages, including children
- At times, it will eliminates the need for CPAP therapy or sleep apnea devices
- The device is simple to maintain
Sleep Apnea Treatment Near Me
David A. Goodman, DMD Alan C. Ko, DMD offer high-quality dental care to address your dental concerns effectively. We specialize in treating sleep-disordered breathing problems with the Vivos system, which uses epigenetics orthodontic therapy for long-lasting results. If you’d like to take advantage of Vivos therapy in Milford, MA, call (508) 850-0686 to reserve an appointment with our team.
Share this Article
Alan Ko, DMD
Alan Ko, DMD, studied Biology at Washington University in St. Louis (BA Magna Cum Laude), Dentistry at the University of Pennsylvania (DMD Magna Cum Laude, Dean’s Scholarship recipient, Louis I. Grossman Award in Endodontics, and Academy of General Dentistry Award Recipient), did his residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH)/Harvard Medical School (General Practice Residency and Clinical Instructor Massachusetts General Hospital), was a guest lecturer at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and Massachusetts General Hospital (General Practice Residency). Dr. Ko’s clinical focuses are craniofacial development in children, sleep/airway dentistry, TMD and occlusion, regenerative oral surgery, and reconstructive restorative/prosthetic dentistry, including Invisalign and dental implants. He is a member of the American Dental Association and Massachusetts Dental Society and has been named as Boston’s Top Dentists since 2012.
Brittany Bressler, DMD
Brittany Bressler, DMD, attended the University of New Hampshire-Durham (magna cum laude, studying psychology and pre-dental studies). Then, she attended Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston, MA (Doctorate in Dental Medicine). At Tufts, she was the Vice President of the local chapter of the American Association of Women Dentists. Dr. Bressler has been named one of Boston Magazine’s Top Dentists for the last four years.
Saeed Kashefi, DMD, FAGD
Saeed Kashefi, DMD, FAGD, attended Harvard University (Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Literature and Creative Writing, cum laude), the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (doctorate, cum laude: He also won the JR Schmidt Fixed Prosthodontics Award), and the BWH/ Harvard-Wide General Practice Residency Program in Hospital Dentistry (residency and fellowship). He stayed on the BWH staff before taking over as clinician attending at the Massachusetts General Hospital, where he served for 16 years. Dr. Kashefi was also the Clinical Instructor at Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Dental Medicine during this time. He is a Fellow of the American Association of Hospital Dentists and Academy of General Dentistry.
Cristina Hantavis MS, CCC-SLP
Cristina Hantavis MS, CCC-SLP, is a licensed and certified Speech and Language Pathologist with extensive training in orofacial myology. She believes that oral health is deeply connected to our general health and takes a holistic approach that targets the whole body by working with the muscles of the face and mouth. Cristina previously worked in private and elementary school settings with children experiencing moderate to severe cognitive, linguistic, and behavioral challenges. She uses this experience to help children facing such issues in her current role.
David Goodman, DMD (retired)
David Goodman, DMD (retired), joined our practice in 1984. Our office was founded in 1975 by Dr. Carl DiGregorio, and since partnering with him, Dr. Goodman has been devoted to delivering exceptional dental care to Milford families. Although he retired in 2021, our practice still carries his philosophy of treating patients as whole people beyond just their teeth.