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functional releases part 2

Functional Releases in Airway Dentistry, Part 2: The Sleep–Airway Connection — How Oral Tethers Affect Breathing and Rest

A Vivos Integrated Provider Series presented by The Vivos Institute

For Vivos Integrated Providers, airway health depends on balanced structure and function. Among the many contributors to compromised sleep and breathing, tethered oral tissues (TOTs)—tight lingual, labial, or buccal frenums—remain an underrecognized source of airway dysfunction.

How Oral Tethers Influence Airway Function

A restricted tongue sits low in the mouth, collapsing backward during sleep and reducing airway space.
This triggers mouth breathing, inflamed tissues, and constricted palatal growth—perpetuating airway resistance and oxygen desaturation.

In Children and Adults

Children: Narrow palates, restless sleep, and hyperactivity symptoms.
Adults: Snoring, bruxism, morning fatigue, and untreated OSA.

Releasing oral restrictions can improve airway stability, facilitate nasal breathing, and support proper oral posture critical to Vivos therapy outcomes.

Structural Growth and Airway Stability

Craniofacial growth is guided by tongue posture and nasal breathing.
When tethers limit these functions, patients may experience underdeveloped maxillae, constricted nasal passages, and forward-head posture.

Early recognition allows Vivos providers to intervene through guided growth, Myo therapy, and functional release to promote balanced airway development.

Functional Release as an Airway Intervention

A frenectomy performed within a Vivos framework is a functional airway procedure—restoring balance to the oral complex, improving tongue elevation, and creating a stable foundation for appliance and Myo therapy integration.

Learn from the Leader in Functional Release

Advance your understanding of airway physiology and oral release.
Join Dr. Kacy Jo at The Vivos Institute for Hands-On Frenectomy & Functional Release Training.
Learn DEKA Laser protocols, advanced diagnostics, and airway-integration strategies designed for Vivos Integrated Providers.

2026 Enrollment Now Open
Location: The Vivos Institute – Denver, CO
Explore Courses and Register →

Stay tuned for the next article in this series:
Part 3: Why Myofunctional Therapy and Frenectomies Go Hand in Hand

Naomi Hirsch

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