Dr. Williams – Vivos Voices
Providers
Our dentistry is only as good as the airway is stable.
Dr. Michele Williams
Dr. Michele Williams on Creating More Stable Dental Outcomes
This week on Vivos Voices, we visited with Dr. Michele Williams, a skilled dentist and trained Vivos Integrated Provider (VIP).
Dr. Williams started practicing dentistry over 30 years ago, but in the past four years, her focus has shifted to treating sleep and airway disorders as it’s related to dentistry. “Before, it was about mounting models and making sure I had a stable bite,” shared Dr. Williams, “but my bite is only as stable as the airway.”
Oxygen is essential to life. We need oxygen for every system in our body. Without proper saturation, it can lead to many signs and symptoms, such as depression, high blood pressure, moodiness, exhaustion, and ultimately, death. Each of our organs and organ systems is influenced by a stable, healthy airway. And an unhealthy airway manifests in our overall health and wellness. “To be able to enhance the quality of life and get to a root cause, I think you’re going to have more stable dental outcomes. Our dentistry is only as good as the airway is stable.”
Picture this: A patient has a broken molar. They’ve ground it down in their sleep, as grinding and clenching are the body’s natural response to being unable to breathe. The dentist repairs it, but the patient breaks the crown. Over and over, the patient has the tooth repaired and blames the dentist for poor dentistry. But we’re setting ourselves up for failure: The root issue, an unhealthy airway, remains, and so too will the problem. By treating the root cause of the problem, we ensure an overall optimal outcome. “I know firsthand how it feels [to sleep better with a Vivos device] and how much better I feel with it in. I’m dreaming more.”
“I’m not going to say that it’s easy, especially when you’re learning something new, but they gave me the confidence to go forward with something so complex. It makes me want to keep practicing for another 30 years.”