Sleep Apnea Treatment
in Dallas–Fort Worth
If you have obstructive sleep apnea and CPAP hasn’t worked for you, there’s another option. DFWOMS offers Inspire® therapy — a mask-free, implantable treatment that works inside your body while you sleep — at our Irving, Mesquite, and Ennis locations.
More than snoring — a serious health condition
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic condition in which the soft tissues of the throat — including the tongue — relax during sleep and collapse into the airway, partially or completely blocking airflow. This causes repeated breathing pauses throughout the night, often hundreds of times, that prevent restful sleep and deprive the body and brain of oxygen.
Left untreated, OSA is associated with a significantly increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and daytime cognitive impairment. It is one of the most common and underdiagnosed conditions in adults. If you snore loudly, wake up gasping, feel unrefreshed after sleep, or have been told you stop breathing during the night, you may have OSA — and treatment can be life-changing.
Introducing Inspire® therapy
Inspire® therapy is a mask-free solution for people with obstructive sleep apnea who have tried and struggled with CPAP. Through a simple-to-use system — including the Inspire® implant, the Inspire™ remote, and the Inspire® app — Inspire therapy lets you control your OSA treatment from the palm of your hand.
No mask. No hose. No forced air. Just sleep. While CPAP works by pushing pressurized air through your airway from outside, Inspire works from inside your body — sensing your breathing and delivering gentle stimulation to keep your airway open naturally throughout the night.
During sleep, your tongue and throat muscles relax. For people with OSA, the tongue falls back and blocks the airway. The Inspire implant senses each breath you take and delivers a gentle pulse to the hypoglossal nerve — which controls tongue movement — moving the tongue forward just enough to keep the airway open. You breathe regularly, sleep soundly, and wake rested. Simply use the small handheld Inspire remote to turn the therapy on when you’re ready to sleep, and off when you wake up.
Three components — one seamless solution
The complete Inspire system includes three components that work together to deliver effortless, mask-free sleep apnea therapy every night.
The implant keeps your airway open while you sleep, so you can breathe regularly and sleep soundly.
The small handheld remote simply turns your therapy on when you’re ready to sleep. No mask or hose required.
The app tracks your sleep goals and allows you to share data directly with your doctor.
Candidacy criteria for Inspire therapy
To be a candidate for Inspire therapy, you must meet the following FDA indications. If you meet these criteria, schedule a consultation with our team to determine if Inspire is appropriate for your specific anatomy and sleep study results.
Inspire therapy is a surgically implanted system intended to treat obstructive sleep apnea in patients not effectively treated by, or unable to tolerate, CPAP. Talk to your doctors about the risks, benefits, and expectations associated with Inspire. Risks associated with the surgical implant procedure may include infection and temporary tongue weakness. In rare cases, tongue paresis and atrophy may occur. Some patients may require post-implant adjustments to the system’s settings to improve effectiveness and ease initial discomfort. Important safety information and product manuals can be found at inspiresleep.com/safety-information or call 1-844-OSA-Help.
Common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea
Many people with OSA don’t know they have it. A partner or family member may notice it before you do. If you experience several of the following, speak to your doctor about a sleep study:
What to expect, step by step
Schedule a consultation with our team. We will review your sleep study results, discuss your current therapy and how it has or hasn’t worked for you, explain Inspire therapy in detail, and answer all your questions. We determine whether you meet the candidacy criteria and whether your anatomy is appropriate for the implant based on clinical evaluation.
Inspire therapy is typically covered by most major medical insurance plans and Medicare for patients who meet the candidacy criteria. Our team assists with the insurance authorization process and helps document your clinical history to support coverage. We will help you understand your benefits and any out-of-pocket costs before proceeding.
The Inspire implant is placed in a minimally invasive outpatient surgical procedure performed under general anesthesia. Small incisions are made under the chin and below the collarbone to place the stimulator and sensor components. The procedure typically takes about 2–3 hours, and most patients go home the same day.
Most patients experience mild soreness at the incision sites for 1–2 weeks and return to normal activity within a few days to a week. There is a 30-day healing period before the device is activated. During this time, our team monitors your recovery and ensures the incisions are healing properly.
At approximately 30 days post-surgery, you return to our office to have the Inspire system activated and programmed. Settings are individualized to your needs during a titration sleep study. The Inspire app tracks your sleep data and allows you to share it directly with your doctor for ongoing adjustments and monitoring.
Expert implant care — compassionate approach
Common questions about Inspire therapy & sleep apnea
CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) keeps the airway open by pushing pressurized air through a mask worn over the nose and/or mouth. Many patients find CPAP uncomfortable, claustrophobic, or disruptive — and cannot use it consistently. Inspire therapy works entirely differently: a small implanted device senses your breathing and gently stimulates the nerve that controls tongue movement, keeping the airway open naturally from inside your body. No mask. No hose. No forced air. Simply turn it on with a small remote when you go to sleep.
Once fully healed and activated, most patients are unaware of the device during their daily activities. The implant is small and placed beneath the skin in the upper chest and neck area. The stimulation during sleep is gentle — designed to move the tongue just enough to keep the airway open without disturbing sleep. Many patients report that after the initial adjustment period, the therapy feels entirely natural and does not interfere with their normal routine.
Yes — Inspire therapy is covered by most major medical insurance plans and Medicare for patients who meet the candidacy criteria. Coverage typically requires documentation of a moderate-to-severe OSA diagnosis and a history of CPAP failure or intolerance. Our team works with you and your insurance provider to navigate the authorization process and help determine your out-of-pocket costs before you commit to the procedure. Medicaid coverage varies by state — contact us to discuss your specific situation.
The procedure is minimally invasive and performed under general anesthesia as an outpatient surgery. Small incisions are made — one under the chin and one in the upper chest below the collarbone — to place the sensing lead, the stimulation lead, and the implanted pulse generator. The entire procedure typically takes 2–3 hours. Most patients go home the same day and return to normal light activity within a few days. The device is not activated until approximately 30 days after surgery to allow for complete healing.
Inspire therapy is MRI-conditional, meaning MRI scans are possible under specific conditions. The Inspire system is compatible with 1.5 Tesla and 3 Tesla whole-body MRI scanners when used according to the guidelines provided by Inspire Medical Systems. You should inform your radiologist and MRI technologist that you have an Inspire implant before any scan, and your Inspire device will need to be temporarily adjusted by your care team beforehand. For the most current MRI compatibility information, visit inspiresleep.com.
Clinical studies have demonstrated significant reductions in sleep apnea events, snoring, and daytime sleepiness with Inspire therapy. In the pivotal STAR trial, 86% of patients and their bed partners reported improvement in quality of life at 12 months. As with any treatment, results vary by individual — your surgeon will discuss realistic expectations based on your specific anatomy, OSA severity, and other clinical factors during your consultation.
Inspire is not for everyone. It is a surgically implanted system intended to treat obstructive sleep apnea in patients who are not effectively treated by, or able to tolerate, CPAP. Talk to your doctors about risks, benefits, and expectations associated with Inspire. Inspire, the cloud design, and “No mask. No hose. Just sleep.” are trademarks or registered trademarks of Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. © 2024 Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 802-107-001, Rev A.
No mask. No hose. Just sleep.
If CPAP hasn’t worked for you, Inspire therapy may be the answer. Our oral surgeons in Irving, Mesquite, and Ennis are here to help you breathe better, sleep soundly, and live fully. Schedule your consultation today.