Posts about my experience with the Vivos mRNA appliance.
One option I considered for treating my obstructive sleep apnea was Dr Theodore Belfor’s Homeoblock appliance. I had a one-on-one consultation online with Dr Belfor to evaluate my CBCT scan and see if it would work for me. At the time, there were no Homeoblock providers in Sydney so it turned out not to be an option. However, I did learn a lot in the process. (more…)
I have a confession to make: in the first few days of wearing my mRNA appliance, I did a really crap job of actually wearing the device for the recommended 16 hours/day. It wasn’t causing me much pain or discomfort or anything; I just wasn’t managing my time very well and making this my highest priority and this impacted my DNA Appliance compliance. (more…)
I tried for almost a week to suppress my gag reflex enough to cope with the pharyngeal extension originally on my mRNA Appliance. Although I made a lot of progress, I still wasn’t able to get the upper part installed. I was also concerned that even if I could get it in, and somehow fall asleep with it, I’d wake up in the middle of the night choking with the wire down my throat.
Yikes.
I didn’t want to wait any longer before I could start expanding so with my provider’s approval, I snipped it off with a pair of wire cutters yesterday so I could start using the appliance last night. It was surprisingly hard to cut the wire; it’s pretty strong.
I finally got my Vivos mRNA appliance on Wednesday. It took one day short of 10 weeks to get the device from the day I gave the go-ahead and paid for it. Here’s what mine looks like:
My mRNA Appliance. I sure hope it’s worth the money.
I was initially sceptical of Dr Singh’s claims that the Vivos DNA appliance uses mechano-transduction to trigger epigenetic processes which grow/remodel bone in the maxilla and mandible, leading to expanded jaws. After reviewing some science on bone remodelling, I believe it does involve epigenetics, but only to the degree that any biological growth process is directed by gene expression. (more…)
Here is a bookmark list of resources I found helpful while researching and evaluating the Vivos DNA/mRNA appliance for treating my obstructive sleep apnea. It is undoubtedly incomplete but it’s a good staring point: Some of the links will lead you to lots of further information.
After doing a lot of research into palate expansion options to treat my obstructive sleep apnea, I’ve decided to go with the Vivos DNA appliance. Actually, I’m getting the mRNA version which also advances and expands the lower jaw. This should give me more tongue space in my mouth, stop it blocking my airway and get me off my CPAP machine earlier.
Several dentists trained in dental sleep medicine, an othrodontist and a couple of ENTs have told me that I have underdeveloped jaws and a retrognathic maxilla as a result of the orthodontic extractions and retractive braces that I had when I was aged 13. This has left too little space in my mouth for my tongue, which collapses into my airway when I sleep. The condition is compounded by the gradual loss of muscle tone in my airway as I have aged and probably lead to my chronic fatigue developing at age 40, but it’s likely to have been affecting me most of my life. (more…)
I’ve spent the last few weeks actively researching surgical, orthodontic and dental treatments for obstructive sleep apnea and visiting a lot of specialists to fully explore my options. I have underdeveloped jaws and nasal obstruction causing severe sleep apnea, possibly the result of extraction/retraction orthodontic work done when I was 13.
I visited orthodontist Derek Mahony recently who referred me to an ENT surgeon to investigate Maxillomandibular Advancement (MMA) surgery and Distraction Osteogenesis Maxillary Expansion (DOME). The success rate is high but it looks nasty. Derek said I would need 12 months of braces before the surgery, and I would need to be on CPAP in the meantime; so no matter what I do I realised I need CPAP to stay alive while I’m getting a permanent treatment sorted out. I’ve been on it for about a month and I’m hoping my general health will improve while I explore my options to expand my jaws and sleep naturally again.