Vivos Pediatric Appliance
Does your child struggle to get a good night’s sleep due to sleep disorders like snoring or obstructive sleep apnea? Come see Dr. Maryam Seifi at Breath of Life Dental (BOLD)! Dr. Seifi specializes in treating sleep disordered breathing. She has been using her extensive training and experience to help people in Rockville, MD and our surrounding communities get deep, restful sleep for many years!
With Dr. Seifi’s guidance, your child can start to address the underlying causes of sleep disordered breathing with the Vivos oral appliance. This revolutionary treatment method is a non-invasive, non-surgical solution to issues like snoring and sleep apnea. The Vivos appliance can help your child:
- Get better quality sleep
- Improve their physical health
- Be able to focus better in school
- Improve their emotional wellbeing
At your child’s examination, Dr. Seifi will get the full picture of their oral health with diagnostic imaging. This will help her to see the shape and positions of your child’s jawbones and teeth. If the Vivos appliance can address your child’s needs, Dr. Seifi will create a customized treatment plan to reduce their disordered breathing symptoms. When you help your child follow their treatment plan as directed, you can help them improve their quality of sleep and overall health.
Are you ready to see how the Vivos pediatric appliance can help your child get better sleep? Then call Breath of Life Dental at
(301) 818-2653
to schedule your consultation with Dr. Seifi today!
What Is Sleep Disordered Breathing?
Sleep disordered breathing is an umbrella term for conditions that negatively impact your child’s ability to breathe while asleep. One of the most common types of disordered breathing is sleep apnea, in which your child will randomly stop breathing repeatedly throughout the night. This interferes with their sleep because their body, feeling like it is suffocating, will wake up many times during the night to get air.
Because your child is not getting enough of the deep, restful sleep that their growing body needs, they can start to develop physical and emotional troubles such as:
- Exhaustion during the day
- Trouble focusing on schoolwork
- Headaches in the morning
- Irritability, anxiety or depression
- Sudden mood swings
- Behavioral problems similar to ADHD, such as hyperactivity, rebelliousness, and impulsiveness
- Delayed physical growth
Sleep & Breathing Self Assessment for You & Your Child
Two Main Types of Sleep Apnea
There are two main types of sleep apnea that may be affecting your child’s health. These are:
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
This type is caused by the muscles in the back of your child’s throat literally obstructing their airway. Those muscles are important for keeping your airway clear during sleep, but sometimes they can relax too much. When this happens, it’s known as obstructive sleep apnea.
Improper growth or alignment of the lower jaw can also be a factor, since this poor oral posture can cause your child’s tongue to block their airway. Most children with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea will wake up choking or gasping for air but fall back asleep right away, and they don’t often remember waking up at all.
Central Sleep Apnea
Your child’s respiratory muscles are controlled automatically by their autonomic nervous system. This is why we don’t have to consciously remind ourselves to breathe. But sometimes, the signals from the brain which control this system can fail to send or the respiratory muscles can ignore them. When this happens, it causes your child to stop breathing. This can happen multiple times per night and negatively impact the quality of your child’s sleep.
Common Symptoms of Sleep Apnea in Children
While sleep apnea can only be properly diagnosed by a medical professional, there are several different symptoms you can look for to determine if your child may be suffering from this condition.
- Snoring loudly
- Coughing or choking while asleep
- Night sweats
- Mouth breathing during sleep
- Sleepwalking
- Talking in their sleep
- Night terrors
- Wetting the bed
If your child is experiencing the above symptoms, call Breath of Life Dental at
(301) 818-2653 to schedule your consultation today! Dr. Seifi will examine your child and be able to tell you if they are likely suffering from sleep apnea.
Childhood Sleep Apnea
Even though being older is a risk factor for developing sleep apnea, that does not mean that children are at no risk. In fact, the vast majority of children with sleep apnea are misdiagnosed with learning disabilities and behavioral disorders—when the real problem is that they aren't getting consistent, restorative sleep!
How Can the Vivos Appliance Treat My Child’s Sleep Apnea?
The Vivos appliance is a custom-fitted oral device, similar to a mouthguard or retainer. It is designed to help keep your child’s airway open and hold their jaw in the correct position while they sleep so that their airway doesn’t get obstructed. By correcting the oral posture, the Vivos appliance also helps ensure your child has enough room in their mouth for their tongue to rest properly so it does not block their airway.
In addition to improving oral posture, the Vivos appliance will also gently change the shape and position of your child’s hard palate and lower jaw. As their palate widens and their jaw moves forward, your child’s upper airway will have more space so they can breathe easily at night. The benefits for your child in using the Vivos pediatric appliance include:
- Encourages breathing through the nose
- Reduces symptoms of sleep apnea for better quality sleep
- Enables proper forward growth of the jaws
- Improved jaw growth leads to more space for teeth
- More space in the upper and lower jaw means less chance of crooked or crowded teeth
This incredible oral appliance addresses and corrects the underlying causes of sleep apnea in children. By using the Vivos appliance, your child can relieve their sleep apnea symptoms and improve their overall health and quality of life—without
the need for invasive or unnecessary surgery!
Help your child get a good night's sleep. Call Breath of Life Dental (BOLD) at
(301) 818-2653
to schedule a consultation today!
Childhood Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea can also affect children. Unfortunately, the vast majority of children with sleep apnea are misdiagnosed with learning disabilities and behavioral disorders. By trying to treat issues with learning or behavior, well-intentioned parents miss the real cause of their child's troubles—that they are exhausted from lack of good quality sleep!
Children can have the same symptoms of sleep apnea as adults, such as migraines, mood changes, and exhaustion. Some of the symptoms that are more common in children with sleep apnea are:
- Trouble wetting the bed
- Underweight or stunted growth
- Trouble focusing in school
- Behavioral issues
- Chronic or repeated illnesses
If you are worried about your child, you can
take our helpful assessment to determine whether they may be affected by sleep apnea. You can also schedule an in-person consultation with Dr. Maryam Seifi by calling Breath of Life Dental at
(301) 818-2653.
Risk Factors that Can Cause Sleep Apnea in Children
There are certain conditions that increase your child’s risk of developing sleep apnea. These include:
- Enlarged tonsils and adenoids
- Childhood obesity
- A small upper or lower jaw
- Severe overbite
- Muscle weakness
- Nasal allergies
- Secondhand smoke
- Family history
If your child has any of the above risk factors and they also are exhibiting symptoms of sleep apnea, you should schedule a consultation with Dr. Seifi at Breath of Life Dental (BOLD). Call us at
(301) 818-2653 to make your appointment today!
Medical Risks of Untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnea
It is important for your child’s health, growth, and wellbeing that they start treatment for obstructive sleep apnea as soon as possible. When you put off their treatment, it increases their risk of developing more serious medical conditions such as:
- Weight loss
- Failure to thrive
- Developmental delays
- Mouth breathing
- Misdiagnosis of ADHD
If you suspect your child may be suffering from sleep apnea, call Breath of Life Dental at
(301) 818-2653 to schedule your consultation with Dr. Seifi!
Get More Information on the Vivos Pediatric Appliance
FAQ's
Do you have questions about the Vivos pediatric appliance for sleep apnea and jaw growth? Call Breath of Life Dental (BOLD)!
Our friendly staff will be happy to help you get the answers to your questions so that you can feel confident in your child’s treatment. For more thorough answers tailored to your child’s specific needs, schedule a consultation with Dr. Seifi! After giving your child a thorough examination, she will be able to explain exactly how the Vivos appliance can help your child and answer any questions you may have.
Call us at
(301) 818-2653
to schedule your appointment and give your child the good night’s sleep they deserve!
Disclaimer: The information contained on this website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of a medical issue. Breath of Life Dental encourages you to seek the advice of your physician or you may call our office with any questions you may have regarding TMD or sleep apnea. Everything contained on this website is presented for informational purposes only. While there are many commonalities among multiple TMD and sleep apnea cases, each patient is unique. Information on this website is strictly for educating the reader about what they should discuss with their doctor if they are suffering from the listed symptoms. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
301-719-3123
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