Vivos Airway Expansion Therapy
Vivos DNA:
Palatal expander, used to improve nasal breathing and tongue space.
Vivos MMRNA:
Palatal expander that includes mandibular support for night-time wear. Allows for better nasal function, tongue space, and supports airway while sleeping.
Improving Airway Size, Tongue Space, and Nasal Breathing
Vivos therapy is an advanced, airway-focused treatment designed to improve airway volume, create space for the tongue, and support nasal breathing by encouraging proper jaw development and expansion in adults.
Unlike traditional orthodontics, which focuses only on tooth alignment, Vivos therapy is centered on airway health and function.
Why Airway Size Matters
A narrow upper jaw or underdeveloped jaws can limit:
- Tongue space
- Nasal airflow
- Stable nighttime breathing
This can contribute to:
- Mouth breathing
- Snoring
- Sleep-disordered breathing
- Obstructive sleep apnea
Vivos therapy is designed to address these underlying structural limitations rather than simply managing symptoms.
How Vivos Therapy Works
The Vivos mmRNA appliance is worn primarily at night and works by:
- Supporting gentle maxillary expansion
- Improving space for proper tongue posture
- Encouraging nasal breathing
- Supporting a more stable jaw position during sleep
Because the mmRNA appliance also functions as a mandibular advancement device, it provides nighttime airway support while expansion is occurring.
This makes it a two-in-one airway therapy:
- Daytime and long-term airway improvement through expansion
- Immediate nighttime airway support through mandibular advancement
- A Medical Appliance — Not Just Orthodontics
- Because the Vivos mmRNA functions as a mandibular advancement device for sleep apnea, it qualifies as a medical appliance.
At Western Sleep Solutions:
- We diagnose sleep-disordered breathing with sleep testing
- Your sleep study is reviewed by a medical doctor (MD)
- We bill medical insurance, not dental insurance
- We work with Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and most private insurers
This allows eligible patients to access a therapy that provides both expansion and nighttime airway support, often at a lower out-of-pocket cost than paying cash for orthodontic expansion alone.
Objective Testing and Measured Outcomes
Vivos therapy at Western Sleep Solutions is guided by objective data, not assumptions.
Our process often includes:
- Baseline sleep testing
- Follow-up or titration sleep studies
- Ongoing monitoring of symptoms and airway stability
This ensures that treatment is actually improving breathing and sleep — not just changing jaw position.
Who May Be a Candidate?
Vivos therapy may be appropriate for adults who:
- Have obstructive sleep apnea or sleep-disordered breathing
- Cannot tolerate CPAP
- Have narrow arches or limited tongue space
- Struggle with mouth breathing or nasal obstruction
- Want a non-surgical approach to airway improvement
Not every patient is a candidate, and we carefully evaluate anatomy, sleep data, and long-term goals before recommending this therapy.
Part of a Comprehensive Airway Plan
Vivos therapy is often combined with:
- Clear aligner therapy
- Myofunctional therapy
- Nasal and breathing optimization
- Long-term orthodontic stabilization
Our goal is lasting airway improvement, not temporary symptom relief.
Why Western Sleep Solutions?
- Airway-first treatment philosophy
- MD-interpreted sleep studies
- Medical insurance billing expertise
- Objective testing before and after treatment
Experience integrating orthodontics and sleep medicine