In his Tuscaloosa dental practice, Dr. Willis J. Meriwether offers a dental appliance alternative to patients suffering from sleep apnea who cannot or will not wear a CPAP mask. Dr. Meriwether makes customized dental appliances to help his apnea patients get a better night's sleep.
In 2006, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine began recommending oral appliances as a first-line treatment for mild to moderate sleep apnea. Dr. Meriwether works closely with medical sleep specialists to ensure the best results for all his apnea patients.
The American Sleep Apnea Association estimates that as many as 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea. Many of those with sleep apnea snore, disrupting their own sleep as well as their partner's. Sleep apnea is not only a nuisance to sufferers, leaving them chronically tired and drowsy, but it can pose serious health risks. Sleep apnea is associated with high blood pressure and a higher incidence of strokes and heart attacks. Sleep deprived individuals are also at a higher risk of being involved in automobile accidents.
Dr. Meriwether studied in Chicago with Dr. Ira Shapira, a leader in the field and the founder of I HATE CPAP.com. Some sleep apnea patients find the CPAP mask too cumbersome, uncomfortable, or inconvenient, especially when traveling. For those patients, Dr. Meriwether can fashion a custom-designed dental appliance as an effective alternative.
Dr. Meriwether is a member of the American Dental Association and the Alabama Dental Association. He is the former President of the Sixth District Dental Society and is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry. He is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, and the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. He belongs to the L.D. Pankey Alumni Association and the Study Club For Dental Excellence.
Please visit us at http://www.meriwetherdentistry.com for more information, or call us at 205-345-3252. Our office is located at 600-A University Boulevard East, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 35401
