Pillar Procedure

The Pillar Procedure is an FDA-approved Houston office procedure to help people stop snoring and treat select cases of sleep apnea. The most common source of snoring is from the fluttering of the soft palate (the soft part of the top of the mouth) as well as the uvula (the bell at the back of the throat). This technique lessens snoring by stiffening the soft palate to reduce its vibration.

The technique is done in the office under local anesthesia (freezing the throat using sprays, gels, and lidocaine). Three small ‘pillar’ implants (2mm in diameter) are placed inside the soft palate to cause scarring to stiffen the palate.