Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea : Insights and Current Research

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a multifaceted sleep-disordered breathing with many associated symptoms and comorbidities. OSA is recognized as a universal health problem and imposes significant healthcare costs on societies in many countries. Medically, continuous positive airway pressure therapy is the golden standard of treatment, while dentally, oral appliances and maxillofacial surgery may also be used for treatment. As orthodontic treatment has become a means of medical care that affects not only the oral and maxillofacial regions but also quality of life, orthodontists are increasingly focusing their attention on OSA and its background tissues adjacent to the mouth, such as the upper airway, as well as their functions. This review will discuss the impact of OSA, a respiratory dysfunction, not only spatially, but also temporally, more specifically, on the organism from birth to growth of the individual, with a focus on intermittent hypoxia, the hallmark of OSA.

Automated summary

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep-disordered breathing condition with various symptoms and comorbidities that is recognized as a global health problem. Treatment options include continuous positive airway pressure therapy, oral appliances, and maxillofacial surgery. Orthodontists are increasingly focused on OSA and its impact on oral and maxillofacial regions and quality of life. This review will discuss the effects of OSA, specifically intermittent hypoxia, on individuals from birth to growth.