Sleep Apnea Relief at BOCO Dental

Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition, and can cause a wide array of symptoms that negatively affect almost every aspect of your life.  Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by repetitive partial or total collapse of the upper airway during sleep.[1] It is well documented that OSA is associated with a wide range of adverse health outcomes,  including high blood pressure, heart disease, heart failure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, weight gain, metabolic syndrome, adult asthma, acid reflux, brain fog, daytime sleepiness, car accidents, memory loss and depression.  

Until now, the primary methods for coping with sleep apnea have included treating the symptoms with devices like a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), mandibular advancement devices (MADs), which hold your jaw in a forward posture. Both of these treatment modalities work only as long as you wear them, but we know that many patients are not happy wearing a CPAP and that patient compliance decreases over time.  Other treatments include weight loss, which is always recommended if indicated.  And lastly, orthognathic surgery – or surgical rearrangement of your bones – which is quite invasive and costly.[2]

Treat your mild to moderate sleep apnea, snoring and sleep disordered breathing, in 5 easy steps with the non-invasive, non-surgical Vivos orthotic appliances at BOCO Dental!

Step 1:

Sleep Assessment

The first step is to determine the presence and/or severity of your sleep apnea. BOCO Dental will provide you with a ring that you will wear on your finger while sleeping for about a week.  The data is then reviewed by a sleep physician and a diagnosis is made.  Dr. Patt will review your sleep data and diagnosis with you.

Step 2:

Data collection

If it is determined that you have sleep apnea and we suspect it can be improved by changing your oral anatomy, we will need to take a 3D scan, model of your mouth and some measurements. 

Step 3:

Treatment Plan

Once the first two steps are complete, we will be able to create a treatment plan based on your diagnosis and specific needs. This treatment plan will likely include a number of integrative therapies that have been proven to ensure the best treatment outcomes.

Step 4:

Treatment

Treatment typically takes 9-18 months. Length of treatment is dependent on your starting point, treatment objectives and patient compliance.  The appliance works best when worn regularly, at least 8 hours (while sleeping), but treatment could be accelerated or lengthened by adjusting the amount of time worn daily.

Step 5:

Complete Treatment

Periodically, we will reassess your anatomy for signs of improvement and or evaluate your progress by repeating your sleep test.  When we believe we have reached the treatment objectives, treatment with Vivos will be complete.  A nice aspect of Vivos is that it improves the anatomical discrepancies that contribute to sleep apnea and often, patients do not need to wear a lifelong appliance or CPAP to sleep.  

Ready to begin?

Request an appointment or call us today to start taking control of your health!

[1] Lévy P, Kohler M, McNicholas WT, Barbé F, McEvoy RD, Somers VK, et al. Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Nature Rev Dis Primers. 2015;1:15015–15015. [PubMed] [Google Scholar] [Ref list]

[2] Gottlieb DJ, Punjabi NM. Diagnosis and management of obstructive sleep apnea: a review. JAMA. 2020 Apr;323(14):1389–1400. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]