Address

1505 Chapel Hill Rd, Columbia

Clinic Hours:

8:00am – 4:30pm (Mon-Thurs) 

Clinic Number

Phone & Fax: (573) 303-5501

Your good night sleep is no longer a dream, it's reality!

About Our Practice

At Bohon Sleep we treat sleeping disorders such as sleep apnea, TMJ and snoring. When sleeping disorders are treated properly, you (and your partner) can sleep through the night and wake up rested. Your good night’s sleep is no longer a dream, it’s reality!

Sleep Apnea

Your snoring could be more than an innocent annoyance. Ensure your heath and safety with us. We offer many treatment options depending on the severity of your condition.

TMJ Disorder

Reoccurring headaches, achy face muscles, lower and upper back pain, or popping in your jaw may be a serious problem. Learn more about TMD & TMJ with us.

Snoring

If your sleep is robbing your neighbors of theirs, we can help reduce the volume.

Payment Options

Bohon Sleep accepts all major Medical Insurance. We will file primary and secondary insurance on your behalf. We do not file dental claims. We accept most major credit cards and offer several in-house payment plans.

Meet the Team

Our outstanding team is lead by Dr. Richard S Bohon, DDS. He has been practicing dentistry in Columbia, Missouri since 1978. After learning the health risks associated with untreated sleep apnea he received training on treating snoring, sleep apnea, and TMD with oral appliance therapy.

Sleep Score

The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is a scale intended to measure daytime sleepiness that is measured by use of a very short questionnaire. This can be helpful in diagnosing sleep disorders.

Man in deep sleep on white pillow

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea literally means “without breath”.

During sleep apnea oxygen levels drop. Carbon dioxide levels build.  If this happened only occasionally, it might not be as alarming and detrimental to your health.  But the reality for some individuals is that it can, and does happen, hundreds of times per night, making it hard to get any sleep at all.

Untreated sleep apnea can make you more likely to suffer illness or injury.  It has been linked to obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even death.  While you are sleeping, how do you know if this is happening to you?

Signs of sleep apnea

  1. snoring that may disrupt the sleep of others
  2. gasping, coughing, or choking upon waking
  3. waking with your heart racing
  4. waking up tired after a full night’s sleep
  5. waking up with a headache
  6. feeling very sleepy during the day
  7. falling asleep without intending to
  1. problems with memory or concentration
  2. feeling irritable, short-tempered
  3. weight gain, inability to lose weight
  4. acid reflux in adults
  5. ad/hd in children
  6. tmj problems/teeth grinding
  7. erectile dysfunction, decreased sex drive

How to know when it's serious

Apneas can last from 10 seconds to a minute or longer and can occur hundreds of times per night.

The body’s oxygen level drops and the blood pressure rises.  The heart is forced to beat faster, causing the pulse rate to increase. The brain may cause the arms, legs, or whole body to jerk in an attempt to wake the sleeper so breathing will resume. The silence may end with a loud snort, cough, or gasp. This causes the sleeper to wake briefly and begin breathing. Once asleep again the muscles relax and the airway becomes blocked, cutting off the airway. The serious and life threatening problems start when sleepers begin experiencing apneas, where breathing stops, and hypopneas, where breathing is shallow due to an obstruction. Breathing is usually blocked in the back of the throat because:

THE TONGUE AND MUSCLES RELAX DURING SLEEP.
THE LOWER JAW FALLS BACK TOWARD THE THROAT.
THE AIRWAY BECOMES BLOCKED.

Depressed woman awake in the night, she is touching her forehead and suffering from insomnia

Before & After Treatment

Illustrations showing difference between normal breathing and obstructive sleep apnea
Illustrations showing difference between normal breathing and obstructive sleep apnea

How to treat sleep apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) Treatment

A custom-made oral appliance fitting on the upper and lower teeth is worn during sleep. The oral appliance repositions the lower jaw, tongue, soft palate and uvula. This prevents the collapse of the tongue and soft tissues in the back of the throat keeping the airway open during sleep and promotes adequate air intake.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA

What is Oral Appliance Therapy?

Women holding jaw in discomfort

Do you need TMJ Treatment?

If you’re experiencing frequent headaches, back and neck pain, dull aching facial pain, or popping in your jaw, you are not alone.

FAQ's about TMJ?

The Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is your jaw joint which holds your lower jaw in place slides and rotates when your jaw is moving. Your TMJ is surrounded by muscles that connect your jaw to the skull which allow you to move your jaw forward, side-to-side, and open and close. The way your teeth fit together is called occlusion. Your TMJ, jaw muscles, and occlusion closely interact during the everyday function. When they do not function together properly or there is a problem with just one part of the system, a temporomandibular disorder can result. A “bad” bite or malocclusion can be involved in pain and/or dysfunction of various areas of the body, which seem to have nothing to do with dentistry.

If your natural teeth don’t fit together properly, your muscles may accommodate, forcing the jaw to close on a path that stresses and fatigues the muscles over time. So much of what we use these muscles for is done subconsciously. For example, we bring our teeth together thousands of times a day just to swallow. Clenching or grinding exacerbates the symptoms and can cause muscle spasms. If your bite is out of alignment, the constant strain of the muscles can also pull the disc that cushions the jaw joint out of position. If this happens, the bones of the jaw joint can rub against each other and the nerves, causing pain and damaging the joint. Other conditions that can affect the health of the TMJ include trauma, disease, nutritional deficiencies, and infections.

Permanent stabilization may be necessary. Options may include wearing a long term orthotic, providing orthodontic treatment, placing crowns or veneers on the affected teeth, or creating a neuromuscular denture. With the techniques and technologies of neuromuscular dentistry, we can help achieve a healthier bite and more comfortable muscles and jaw joints. In a harmonious, comfortable bite, the teeth, jaw joints, and muscles can work together without strain or tension.

35 Million people suffer from tmd
1 in 12 people in the U.S infographic
90% are women

Common Symptoms of TMJ

Common TMD symptoms that are overlooked

Additional Signs of TMD

Happy woman in white nightwear sitting in bed awakened from enough and healthy sleep feels good, stretching her arms muscles after sleep and long immobility wakes up start new day with smile

Snoring Treatment?

if your sleep is robbing your neighbors of theirs, we can help reduce the volume.

Start your path to a better night’s sleep by getting your sleep score. Your sleep score provides critical information to properly diagnose & treat our patients.

Testimonials

Have a medical question?

Consult With A Bohon Sleep Specialist Today