DNA Appliance by Vivos for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and TMJ

The DNA Appliance Looks Like a Retainer

The DNA is not an ordinary mandibular repositioning appliance. The retainer-like device is worn at night for 12 to 24 months during a typical course of treatment. The medical technology owned by Vivos Therapeutics works by stimulating the upper jaw and facial profile to grow wider, taller and more forward. DNA appliance therapy stops mouth breathing and snoring and TMJ pain. Many people who wake up with headaches and jaw pain will get relief from this treatment. The so called “daytime nighttime appliance” is currently one of the most effective appliances for TMJ pain.

DNA Appliances Compared to Sleep Apnea Surgeries

Surgery for sleep apnea obviously caries more risk whereas the Vivos oral appliance addresses the root cause of upper airway problems. There are 3 very popular surgeries for sleep apnea:

1. Tongue advancement surgery. This procedure basically uses your lower jaw bone to lift your hyoid bone and tongue upwards. It does work, but no telling how long it will take for the tongue to break free
2. UPPP or UP3 apnea surgery
3. Soft palate pillar implants. polyvinyl rods that stiffen the soft palate to prevent collapse.

Try the DNA appliance first and you most likely will not need these. Also these surgeries often need to be repeated every 5-10 years and they do not fully address the root cause of obstructive sleep apnea.

Benefits of DNA Appliance Therapy

• better airflow through the nasal passageways and mouth
• improved bite function and fit of the teeth
• more tongue space and posture
• reduced teeth clenching
• fewer headaches in the morning
• more balanced facial symmetry
• better posture

Contact Dr. Adams for a consultation or 2nd opinion

Teeth Clenching is a Symptom of Poor Tongue Postures and Sleep Apnea

Did you know that 77% of people who clench their teeth at night have sleep apnea or UARS? Lack of deep sleep causes thyroid problems, heart disease and premature aging? Unlike CPAP and night guards, Vivos orthodontic therapy does not involve wearing appliances forever. The root cause of the problem will be corrected and you can go on with your life without a need to wear an oral device at night forever. The Vivos is an adult orthodontic expander that increases the size of the mouth and jaws.

Dr Adams has been a certified Vivos DNA appliance provider for longer than Vivos has been in existence. Back when Dr. Singh owned the DNA and still taught. We have completed thousands of expansion/orthodontic cases in adults and kids. “The experience and knowledge of the provider is of paramount importance.”

Palatal Expander Options for TMJ and Sleep Apnea

Dr. Adams uses the Vivos or Homeoblock device for most adults. He uses many other appliances such as the ALF, Invisalign and Biobloc Orthotropics. Dr. Adams also has a variety of appliances for kids palate expansion including Schwarz, Myobrace, Twin Block. Every case is evaluated individually and the best appliance is always selected. We are not married to any one solution.

MARPE and MSE Expanders vs DNA Appliance

The DNA is a tooth borne 3 dimensional growth/expansion appliance. MARPE and MSE expanders are bone level expanders that only rapidly expander the upper jaw (maxilla) wider. Also called surgical rapid palatal expander. MARPE stand for mini-implant assisted rapid palatal expander. We prefer to start with the DNA and progress other appliances and surgery if we are not getting results. The DNA is capable of 3D growth and is capable of completing as case from start to finish. MSE is used in combination with standard braces and additional surgery to the lower jaw (mandible).

How Does DNA Appliance Therapy Progress?

• The removable appliance is only worn at night and taken out during productive daytime hours
• light pressure compared to braces and never orthodontic pain
• easy adjustments made at home approximately every 2 weeks for adults
• evaluations and adjustments by Dr. Adams approximately every 3-4 months
• treatment usually takes 12-24 months on the average
• 1-2 months in a retainer and treatment is complete.
• Throw the appliances away. No need to wear an appliance anymore. Your condition should be corrected.

Before and After DNA Appliance Photos

The Vivos Device is Unique because it Works for Adults.

There many options for kids expanders and anterior growth appliances. Learn more about holistic orthodontics and how Dr. Adams treats children. Very few appliances work for adult forward growth and airway development. It is never a good idea to pull teeth for braces. It is best to promote growth in jaw structures, so all teeth have space fit properly into the mouth. The Vivos is the best orthopedic therapy to resolve conditions related to extraction and retraction orthodontics.

Homeoblock Appliance Compared to the DNA?

They are basically the same appliance except for the spring used is a little different. The Homeoblock appliance works for adults and can be designed to do the same thing as the DNA. Dr. Belfor invented the Homeoblock and he used to work with Dr. Singh (inventor of the DNA). There is more research to back up the DNA, but Dr. Adams believes the appliances do the same thing. The Homeblock is not FDA cleared.

How Does Vivos’ DNA Device Work?

The Vivos device works by stimulating bone growth in the mouth, facial structures and nasal passageways. It has been referred to as a biomimetic device because it stimulates facial bone to start growing again. This is a specific example of epigenetics. The DNA results in new growth of the upper airway and the upper and lower jaws. The therapy grows the upper airway size and balances the jaw structures in a more open and forward position. Night time airway obstructions can be prevented (such as the tongue falling back into the throat). Breathing patterns during sleep can normalize such as more nasal breathing and less mouth breathing. With more room in the mouth the tongue fits better in the mouth. With forward growth of the jaw, the tongue postures and lives further away from the the throat and airway. Vivos therapy allows the bite to be optimized for better biomechanical and neuromuscular function.

For those looking to compare the Vivos DNA to the AGGA appliance check out this article by Dr. Adams. What is the anterior growth guidance appliance?

Vivos Device Improves Airway Breathing & Sleep Apnea

After having Vivos therapy, the problem is corrected and the appliance usually does not need to be worn anymore. Average treatment times range between 9 – 18 months. Most conditions will be cured or dramatically improved. Sounds too good to be true? Most cases of mild and moderate obstructive sleep apnea will be cured  by the DNA appliance whereas cases of severe sleep apnea will be improved to mild apnea. There are two reasons why this treatment is not better known and more widely used:

1. Lack of education. Most dentists are not educated about the link between obstructive sleep apnea, bruxism and TMD problems. For that matter most physicians are not educated about this either.
2. DNA therapy is complex and not well understood in the profession. For that reason there are very few providers. Oddly, the treatment has lots of proven research and is FDA cleared for correction of sleep apnea. Hopefully more dentists will get educated and learn about the appliance. Additionally, hopefully, more sleep doctors will become aware of the DNA device.

TMJ Symptoms are a sign of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

TMJ symptoms are often caused by teeth clenching episodes at night time. Clenching occurs when the airway is obstructed during sleep. Mouth breathing is linked to OSA and TMJ. Clenching is a reflex caused by blockage or obstruction of the upper airway. Often times the obstruction is the tongue falling into the airway during deep sleep. The clenching is a defense mechanism to wake you up into a lighter sleep. In lighter sleep, the tongue will contract and come out of the throat and back into the mouth.

Tongue Falling into the throat is caused by two things:

1. Inadequate space in the mouth for the tongue to fit. It literally does not fit well across the palate well. In cases where there is lack of forward growth, the depth and height of the mouth are undersized as well.
2. The tongue functioning too far back in the mouth near the throat and airway. Often the lower jaw does not grow forward enough in childhood leaving the tongue close to the throat.

Vivos is the Only Non-Surgical Cure for Sleep Apnea

Vivos appliance therapy is the best non surgical treatment for TMJ, sleep apnea and UARS. The removable sleep appliance corrects and sometimes cures TMJ and sleep apnea. Most treatments available for these conditions only address symptoms – night guards, occlusal splints and dental snore appliances. CPAP is a viable treatment option but it does not correct airway and sleep problems. Dr. Adams is a certified Vivoslife appliance provider.

The power in this corrective treatment is pneumopedics and craniofacial epigenetics. The fancy terms you can forget, but basically what it means is you can stimulate new bone growth in the upper and lower jaws of adults. The result is more space for jaw and cranial balance, proper tongue spaces and function and a bigger upper airway for better sleep and night-time breathing.

Vivos DNA Appliance treatment usually takes for 12-24 months\

Does the DNA appliance work? The Vivos appliance is a removable device that is easy for adults to tolerate. It only needs to be worn in the evening and through the night. At the end of treatment the upper and lower jaws will be in a more natural position and the appliance does not need to be worn anymore. The difference between the DNA device vs night guards and dental snore appliances: DNA corrects or dramatically improves TMJ dysfunction and sleep apnea problems by promoting growth in the upper airway and balancing the dental occlusion and bite. In contrast a night guard or silent nite is an appliance that manages a problem and is worn for the rest of your life.

Vivos is a Holistic Therapy for Sleep Apnea

Because the DNA device creates more room in the mouth, it naturally treats obstructive sleep apnea by enlarging the airway and creating more room in the mouth, nasal passageways and throat. The appliance therapy is very popular among holistic and biological dentists and many other myofunctional therapists. More recently the treatment has become more mainstream as Vivoslife purchased the DNA appliance from Dr. Singh (the inventor of the appliance). While Vivos has spent more money in promoting the DNA device, they have also increased the cost of the appliance to their treating dentists by more than 300%. The dentists are being charged a higher fee for manufacturing the same appliance plus franchise-like fees for becoming a “Vivos Integrated Practice.” Many dentists have been forced to increase DNA appliance costs to patients. But Vivoslife has added value to sleep apnea therapy with the Vivos device. They have improved education about the appliance. Improved the diagnostics dentists are doing prior to starting treatment. And added validity and some acceptance to DNA therapy in the dental community.

We are not here to say this is good or bad, but we do love the appliance and we hope they can make enough money to continue making the appliances. We also hope DNA device costs can remain affordable. Agencies like the FDA and trademarking can be very time consuming and expensive. Other professionals including most orthodontists do not agree with all the claims Vivoslife and Singh have made about the appliance. Many of the DNA theories, if assumed to be true, would suggest an entirely different approach to treatment than what is common in the average orthodontic office. Most dentists currently believe adult jaw bone does not grow which has been completely disproven by Vivos and Singh. Obviously, more research and communication needs to be done, but the FDA does not clear appliances without strict proof, so it is obvious that the appliance delivers on its claims and then some.

Dr Dave Singh of Oral Systemic Link, is the inventor of the DNA system and epigenetic orthodontics, orthopedics and pneumopedics. Dr Singh has done a great job of everything except marketing to dentists and the medical community. This appliance has helped so many people get better with the unique and novel non surgical approach to treatment. Anyone suffering from TMJ pain, snoring, OSA or has bruxism should look at this appliance.

How does the DNA result in Upper Airway Development?

The removable appliance is worn after dinner time and through the night for a total of at least 10-12 hours per day. Every 1-2 weeks (at the instruction of Dr. Adams) a key is used (by the patient) to slowly open or “expand” the appliance. The “expansion” places a light stretch on the jaw bones in an outward direction. The light stretchy pressure in combination with tongue pressure on the 3D axial springs embedded in the appliance (see the appliance picture above) causes an increase in bone cell activity and a net growth in jaw structure. The bone growth in the dental arches and airway is also called biomimetics. This describes the magic, if you will, of the DNA and why the treatment is such a huge opportunity.

Every 8 – 12 weeks Dr. Adams will do an evaluation. Sometimes adjust the bite plane of the appliance to keep it balanced and gently and slowly promote a more forward bite and jaw position. Total treatment time usually takes 12 -18 months depending on the difficulty of the case. The treatment is not orthodontic and it is bone volume increasing and the size of the upper dental arch is growing and not the teeth moving as is usual during orthodontics.

Benefits of DNA Device Therapy:

1.  No more Migraine Headaches
2. Resolves TMJ pain symptoms
3. Reduces jaw tiredness and fatigue from TMD
4. Improves obstructive sleep apnea and airway problems
5. Reduced teeth wear
6. Painless non surgical treatment
7. larger and more optimal sinus spaces meaning fewer sinus infections and headaches
8. Fewer cavities and less dental work
9. Improved posture
10. Easy and painless removable appliance only needs to be worn at night time for a treatment period (not for the rest of your life)
11. Improved forward head posture
12. Improved nose breathing
13. Decreased or Resolution of Snoring
14. Better deep sleep
15. Increased Energy
16. Decreased Anxiety
17. Improved Metabolism
18. fewer root canals and less root canal extractions

How does Vivos System Cure OSA and Bruxism?

A small mouth, small upper airway, crowded teeth, deep and narrow palate are things TMJ and Sleep Apnea people have in common. Individuals with small mouths and crowded teeth often do not have enough room in their mouth for their tongue to fit during deep sleep. During deep sleep, the tongue relaxes and falls back where it fits better, that is back into the throat and airway.  The palate is the roof of the mouth and the base of the nose. “Small” often means, stuffy nasal passageways. Sometimes “seasonal allergies” can be improved by creating more room for seasonal irritants to drain and pass through the mouth and nose. A larger mouth also means larger sinus spaces that drain better and fewer sinus infections and headaches.

What Happens during Vivos Therapy?

DNA therapy gently expands the upper jaw while keeping the bite balanced and optimizing spaces in the mouth and nasal passageways. The device is unique in that it treats the bite and the airway at the same time. Volumetric 3D expansion increases the size of the nasal passageways, the mouth and the airway.  As the upper jaw grows bigger, the lower jaw enlarges and moves more forward into a more natural and optimal position. The lower jaw improvement improves the retrognathic or reverse position of the lower jaw. As the lower jaw moves forward, the tongue and soft tissue follow and have more room to exist and are further forward of the airway, creating a greater distance between the tongue and the airway. And viola, there is less obstruction of the upper airway. The result is improved breathing function, resolution of clenching problems and improved posture. Have you ever wondered why you can’t breathe well through your nose? Sinus pain and pressure is caused by small sinuses and poor sinus drainage.

The DNA can Cure TMJ Disorder

Patients who have DNA device therapy see improvements and sometimes complete cessation of TMJ Pain and Sleep Apnea. The unique appliance therapy is a great tool for the TMJ specialist. Dentists do not diagnose sleep apnea, but they can make the airway bigger with this novel therapy. Many sleep apnea specialists seek out dentists trained in sleep apnea dental appliance.

The DNA can be used for all ages. It is comfortable, painless and is only worn in the evenings and while sleeping. There is no comparable therapy to treat TMJ-TMD symptoms or sleep apnea. Any corrective therapies involve aggressive surgery. The DNA apparatus naturally corrects alignment of teeth, jaw balance, facial proportions and symmetry, upper airway, and neuromuscular harmony.

Not all DNA cases are the same

There is no cookie-cutter treatment. Many patients may present with common TMJ or OSA symptoms, each case has unique problems requiring a specific treatment course of treatment and a very specific design. Not all appliances and treatment plans are the same. Some cases can be easy and some can be very difficult.

Successful DNA therapy Involves:

• Diagnosing each case for the specific problems that exist.
• Designing a DNA appliance to correct jaw and facial bone problems that exist. There are 100s of different ways to design a DNA Appliance.

Other craniofacial and orthopedic appliances have existed in the past such as the ALF appliance. But DNA therapy is the best non-surgical treatment for TMJ and upper airway / sleep apnea issues.

Supporting Scientific References:

1. Kingsley NW. A Treatise on Oral Deformities as a Branch of Mechanical Surgery. New York, NY: D Appleton and Co; 1880:68-88.
2. Haupl K, Grossman WJ, Clarkson P. Textbook of Functional Jaw Orthopedics. London, England: Henry Kimpton; 1952:242-282.
3. Sidiropoulou S, Antoniades K, Kolokithas G. Orthopedically induced condylar growth in a patient with hemifacial microsomia. Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2003;40:645-650.
4. Singh GD. Epigenetic orthodontics: Developmental mechanisms of functional (formational) orthodontic appliances. Journal of the American Orthodontic Society. 2010;10:16-26.
5. Singh GD, Krumholtz JA. Epigenetic Orthodontics in Adults. Chatsworth, CA: SMILE Foundation; 2009.
6. Singh GD, Lipka G. Case report: Introducing the Wireframe DNA appliance. J Am Acad Gnathol Orthop. 2009;26:8-11.
7. Singh GD, Utama J. Effect of the DNA appliance on migraine headache: case report. Int J Orthod Milwaukee. 2013;24:45-49.
8. Singh GD, Wendling S, Chandrashekhar R. Midfacial development in adult obstructive sleep apnea. Dent Today. 2011;30:124-127.
9. Singh GD, Callister JD. Effect of a maxillary appliance in an adult with obstructive sleep apnea: a case report. Cranio. 2013;31:171-175.
10. Singh GD. On growth and treatment: the Spatial Matrix hypothesis. In: McNamara JA Jr, ed. Growth and Treatment: A Meeting of the Minds (Craniofacial Growth Series). Monograph 41. Ann Arbor, MI: Needham Press; 2004:197-239.