The role of the dentist in the diagnosis and management of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea

The objective of this article is to review the role of the dentist in the early diagnosis of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and to provide an in-depth review of the best evidence-based practices available to treat and/or to refer these patients for intervention.Material and methodsA narrative review was performed using indexed data bases (PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, OVID, Scopus and Cochrane) up to year 2020, and approximately 1000 articles were reviewed. The articles included were those with the best information provided.ResultsDetailed review of the literature suggests that the role of the dentist has been redefined owing to their expertise in the orofacial region. Every patient consulting a dental practice is not merely a dental patient; he/she also requires a comprehensive medical review. The role of the dentist is pivotal in pediatric patients once diagnosed with OSA; as the patients grow, growth modification can be achieved, and future management will be easier. Initiating dental treatments during growth can benefit patients two-fold, saving them from malocclusion, and intervening in orofacial structural growth can help to avoid cumbersome treatments, such as CPAP and various surgeries. Proper diagnosis and management of systemic illnesses can prevent compromised quality of life, delays in treatment, morbidity and, in some cases, mortality.     

压膜式twin-block矫治器治疗轻中度阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征的初步研究

目的:探讨压膜式twin-block矫治器在轻中度阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征(OSAHS)治疗中的应用和疗效.方法:为14例轻中度OSAHS患者制作压膜式twin-block矫治器,治疗前后进行Epworth嗜睡表(ESS)和魁北克睡眠问卷(QSQ)调查;并记录患者口腔颌面系统的不适感,1个月后复查多导睡眠监测(PSG)对比疗效.结果:与戴用矫治器前比较,13例患者的呼吸紊乱指数(AHI)下降了50％以上或达到正常,客观有效率为92.86％;呼吸暂停指数、最低血氧饱和度、最长呼吸暂停时间均有明显好转(P＜0.01).生活质量除情绪部分外皆有改善(P＜0.01),Epworth嗜睡程度明显减轻(P＜0.01).初戴矫治器不适主要表现为唾液增多及晨起后短暂的牙齿酸胀感,矫治器半年依从率为92.86％.结论:压膜式twin-block矫治器较为舒适,患者较易接受,是治疗轻中度OSAHS的有效方法.     

The occurrence of respiratory events in young subjects with a frequent rhythmic masticatory muscle activity: a pilot study

Purpose

Concomitant occurrence of respiratory events can be often overlooked in the clinical practice of SB. This study assessed physiological characteristics of rhythmic masticatory muscle activity (RMMA) and concomitant respiratory events in young sleep bruxism (SB) subjects asymptomatic to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Investigation of trends and characteristics in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Background

Oral appliance (OA) therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has only been part of Japan’s National Health care coverage plan since 2004. Subsequently, not enough time has passed to establish the medical trends and characteristics of OSA patients in Japanese Dental Hospitals.

Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate the medical trends and the characteristics in patients with OSA who visited our clinic, and to compare our findings with previous studies.

Setting and design

Epidemiological survey (retrospective study).

Materials and methods

Two hundred and one patients were recruited at the Internal Medicine Division in the Tsurumi University Dental Hospital from February 2006 to December 2008, consecutively. Patients received a medical interview, and a detailed sleep analysis that included a polysomnography (PSG) to verify the exact nature of their condition. The efficacy of OA was assessed in 49 patients who wore an OA and underwent PSG.

Results

Of all subjects, 141 patients visited the Prosthodontic Division to receive OA therapy, 38 patients were treated or received a follow up examination in the Internal Medicine Division. The dropout rate was 10.4% in the all subjects, 17.0% in patients who visited the Prosthodontic Division. The male-to-female ratio was 3.3:1, 3.0:1 in patients who visited the Prosthodontic Division. In addition, females had a lower rate of OAS severity than males. In our patients, the major complication was hypertension and cardiac disease. The success rate of OA was 75.5%.

Conclusion

This approach allowed us to reveal some of the trends and characteristics in our patients.     

The nocturnal use of complete dentures and sleep stability in edentulous elders

ObjectiveTo evaluate the stability of sleep quality and the impact of nocturnal use of complete dentures on sleep quality in an elderly edentulous population over a one-year period.Materials and methodsWritten informed consent was obtained from 172 edentulous elders who agreed to enrol in a longitudinal cohort study. A total of 153 participants completed the follow-up after one year. Perceived quality of sleep and daytime sleepiness were measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI, score 0–21) and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS, score 0–24) at baseline (T₀) and at follow-up (T₁). Data on oral health related quality of life, type of mandibular dentures (conventional versus implant-retained mandibular overdenture), nocturnal wear of the dentures and socio-demographic status were obtained by means of the OHIP-20 questionnaire, a clinical examination form and a socio-demographic questionnaire.ResultsNo statistically significant differences were detected in the global PSQI mean scores and EES mean scores from baseline (PSQI 4.77 ± 3.32; EES 5.35 ± 3.72) to the follow-up assessment (PSQ1 5.04 ± 3.50; EES 5.53 ± 4.34). Edentate elders wearing prostheses at night had poorer daytime sleepiness scores than those who removed their prostheses at night (p = 0.003 unadjusted model; p = 0.058 adjusted for age, gender, type of prosthesis and the OHIP-20 total score).ConclusionResults of this study suggest that wearing complete dentures while sleeping has little effect on sleep quality or daytime sleepiness.     

Cephalometric risk factors associated with myocardial infarction in patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea: A pilot case-control study

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and its craniofacial anatomic risk factors might play a role in several cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction (MI). However, there are no data about cephalometric findings among OSA patients with MI.

Methods: In this pilot case-control study, about 2000 individuals referred to the sleep center were evaluated according to apnea – hypopnea index (AHI) and other inclusion criteria. Included were 62 OSA male patients (AHI > 10), of whom 6 had an MI history. In both control (n = 56) and MI groups (n = 6), 18 cephalometric parameters were traced. Data were analyzed using independent samples t-test.

Results: Compared with control OSA patients, OSA patients with MI showed a significantly larger tongue length (p = 0.015). The other cephalometric variables were not significantly different between the two groups.

Conclusion: An elongated tongue might be considered a risk factor for MI in OSA patients. The role of other variables remains inconclusive and open to investigation with larger samples (determined based on pilot studies such as this report) collected in longitudinal fashion.     

Computational fluid dynamics for the assessment of upper airway changes in skeletal Class III patients treated with mandibular setback surgery

Objective:To analyze and compare pharyngeal airflow characteristics pre- and post–mandibular setback surgery in patients with Class III skeletal dysplasia using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD).Materials and Methods:Records of 29 patients who had received orthodontic treatment along with mandibular setback surgery were obtained. CBCT scans were obtained at three time points: T1 (before surgery), T2 (average of 6 months after surgery), and T3 (average of 1 year after surgery). Digitized pharyngeal airway models were generated from these scans. CFD was used to simulate and characterize pharyngeal airflow.Results:Mean airway volume was significantly reduced from 35,490.324 mm³ at T1 to 24,387.369 mm³ at T2 and 25,069.459 mm³ at T3. Significant increase in mean negative pressure was noted from 3.110 Pa at T1 to 6.116 Pa at T2 and 6.295 Pa at T3. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between the change in airway volume and the change in pressure drop at both the T2 and T3 time points. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between the amount of mandibular setback and change in pressure drop at the T2 time point.Conclusions:Following mandibular setback surgery, pharyngeal airway volume was decreased and relative mean negative pressure was increased, implying an increased effort required from a patient for maintaining constant pharyngeal airflow. Thus, high-risk patients undergoing a large amount of mandibular setback surgery should be evaluated for obstructive sleep apnea and the proposed treatment plan be revised based on the risk for potential airway compromise.     

Evaluation of autonomic nervous system in sleep apnea patients using pupillometry under occlusal stress: a pilot study

Aims: Recently, it has been proposed that obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is characterized by an imbalance in autonomic nervous tone. Pupil size has been considered a valid test for studying the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Pupillometry is a simple and non-invasive tool to assess the size and dynamics of the pupil. The purpose of this study was to evaluate, by pupillometry, the hypothesis that subjects with OSAS present ANS dysregulation.

Methods: The study group included 10 males aged between 40 and 50 years with polysomnographic diagnoses of mild OSAS. The control group included 10 males with similar ages with an apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) of less than 5, after polysomnography. Pupillometry was performed by digital infrared pupillometer (25 frame/s). Recordings were processed to measure the area of the pupil frame by frame. The subjects underwent four subsequent recordings: infrared light at rest mandible position (RP); infrared light at forced habitual occlusion (FHO); yellow-green light at RP; and yellow-green light at FHO. According to literature, linear and non-linear information was extracted from the recordings.

Results: As expected, the two groups did not differ statistically in age and body mass index (BMI), while there was a significant difference in the AHI. In the within-group comparison of pupil size, there were significant differences between RP and FHO under infrared conditions in the control group. There was a significant difference in the determinism percentage (Det%) in the RP infrared condition between the control and OSAS groups.

Conclusions: The results of the current study confirm ANS dysregulation in OSAS patients and provide a new possible strategy for studying this pathology by using pupillometry through linear and non-linear mathematical models.     

The inverted-L ramus osteotomy versus sagittal split ramus osteotomy in maxillomandibular advancement for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea patients: A retrospective study

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness and feasibility of inverted-L osteotomy (ILO) and sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment. According to different surgery procedures, 28 OSA patients who underwent maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) were divided into 2 groups (group A: ILO, n = 9; group B: SSRO, n = 19). Polysomnography (PSG) and Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) on T0, T1and T2 were used to evaluate the effectiveness of OSA treatments. Patients’ airway structures and facial appearances were also evaluated. From T0 to T1, the mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI,/per hour) dropped from 69.2 ± 8.4 to11.2 ± 2.4 (P < 0.01) in group A and from 54.6 ± 14.6 to 9.4 ± 5.4 (P < 0.01) in group B; LSpO2 (lowest pulse oxygen saturation, %) increased from 66.5 ± 7.7% to 88.2 ± 4.6 (P < 0.01) and from 76.6 ± 10.7%to 89.4 ± 2.4% (P < 0.01) while the mean ESS score decreased by 51% in group A and 44% in group B. Most patients (group A: 88.9%; group B: 84.3%) were satisfied with their postoperative appearance. Mild relapse was observed in both groups on T2. This study concluded that MMA containing ILO and MMA containing SSRO are both feasible and effective for selected OSA patients.     

Evidence of oxidative stress in temporomandibular disorders: a pilot study

Oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of many conditions and is caused by free radicals in concentrations that overwhelm the natural scavenging mechanisms and cause pain and inflammation. This investigation sought to determine whether pain from temporomandibular disorders was associated with increased oxidative stress as measured by biomarkers in saliva and serum. Both salivary and serum levels of the oxidative stress biomarkers including 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, malondialdehyde and total antioxidant status were compared in patients with mild and severe TMJD pain and with healthy controls. These biomarkers were determined spectrophotometrically in saliva and serum from 10 high TMJD pain patients, 10 low TMJD pain patients, and 10 healthy control subjects from National Institute of Dental Research's TMJ Implant Registry and Repository. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between each biomarker and TMJD pain. The mean levels of log 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (saliva P < 0·0001, serum P = 0·0008), malondialdehyde (saliva P = 0·002, serum P = 0·004) and total antioxidant status (saliva P = 0·005; serum P = 0·001) achieved statistically significant differences between groups. In linear regression analysis, both salivary and serum levels of each biomarker were associated with TMJD pain. In a multivariable analysis, again, both salivary levels and serum levels were also different between groups. Salivary levels of oxidative stress ratios of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, malondialdehyde and total antioxidant status were significantly different between patients with TMJD pain and controls and was comparable to that in serum. These biomarkers hold promise as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic strategy.     

A digital approach integrating facial scanning in a CAD-CAM workflow for complete-mouth implant-supported rehabilitation of patients with edentulism: A pilot clinical study

Statement of problem

Complete-mouth implant-supported rehabilitations are challenging because of the multiple surgical and prosthetic steps involved in clinical evaluations to assure passive prosthesis fit and optimal esthetic and functional outcomes. As a result, these rehabilitations are usually associated with substantial clinical time, patient discomfort, and high treatment cost.

单侧完全性唇腭裂患者前牙区牙槽骨开窗、骨开裂的锥形束CT研究

目的 利用锥形束CT（cone-beam CT,CBCT）研究单侧完全性唇腭裂（unilateral cleft lip and palate,UCLP）患者前牙区牙槽骨开窗、骨开裂的发生率。方法 选取2014年6月—2017年9月就诊于中南大学湘雅二医院的UCLP患者42例（男25例,女17例）。匹配性别和年龄,纳入42例骨性Ⅲ类非唇腭裂患者为对照组。利用CBCT评估UCLP组与对照组前牙区骨开窗和骨开裂的发生率,采用SPSS 22.0软件包对数据进行统计学分析。结果 裂隙侧、非裂隙侧及对照组前牙骨开裂发生率分别为50.88%、42.39%和28.77%。UCLP组裂隙侧上颌前牙同名牙骨开裂的发生率均显著高于对照组（P<0.05）,非裂隙侧上颌侧切牙骨开裂的发生率显著高于对照组（P<0.05）,裂隙侧上颌中切牙骨开裂发生率显著高于非裂隙侧（P<0.05）。裂隙侧、非裂隙侧与对照组前牙区骨开裂均好发于唇侧。骨开窗的发生率在裂隙侧、非裂隙侧及对照组间无显著差异（P>0.05）。结论 在UCLP患者中,牙槽骨开窗和骨开裂较常见,临床治疗中应引起重视。     

The treatment of oral aphthous ulceration or erosive lichen planus with topical clobetasol propionate in three preparations: a clinical and pilot study on 54 patients

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the clinical use of a corticosteroid in three preparations (topical clobetasol propionate ointment, clobetasol propionate in an oral analgesic base, and clobetasol propionate in an adhesive denture paste). METHODS: Fifty-four patients (34 males and 20 females) with a history of vesiculo-ulcero-erosive oral lesions were selected: 24 with oral erosive lichen planus and 30 with aphthae. The subjects enrolled were randomly divided into three groups, each of 18 patients (10 with aphthae and 8 with lichen planus): the first was treated with topical clobetasol propionate ointment (0.05%) directly on the lesion(s) three times a day; the second with clobetasol propionate in an adhesive denture paste in equal amounts (1:1) two times a day; the third with clobetasol propionate in an oral analgesic base (Orabase-B) in equal amounts (1:1) two times a day. Each subject scored his or her symptoms daily from most severe (7) to none (0) by verbal assessments using a categorical scale. RESULTS: In all cases, the administration of the corticosteroid was effective in producing remission of symptoms in each group of patients. Significant differences (P<0.05) between groups were determined by the Kruskal-Wallis test. The Dunn test was used in order to detect which group differs from the others; clobetasol and adhesive denture paste correlated with an early remission of pain in lichen and apthous lesions. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that topical application of clobetasol in an adhesive denture paste is an effective drug for symptomatic oral vesiculo-erosive and/or ulcerative lesions.     

The use of resorbable collagen membrane in conjunction with autogenous bone graft and inorganic bovine mineral for buccal/labial alveolar ridge augmentation: a pilot study

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: No study provides human histologic evidence regarding the use of resorbable collagen membrane for a 2-stage localized alveolar augmentation procedure. PURPOSE: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the potential of use of a resorbable collagen membrane in conjunction with an autogenous bone graft and inorganic bovine mineral (IBM) for labial/buccal alveolar ridge augmentation prior to placing dental implants.Material and methods Seven consecutively treated human patients participated in the study. All patients received labial/buccal alveolar ridge augmentation. An autogenous block graft was secured at the recipient site with fixation screws and a mixture of autogenous particulate with IBM was placed at the periphery. Resorbable collagen membrane was used as a barrier. Radiographic and laboratory measurements were made to quantify ridge augmentation and resorption rate. Preoperative and postoperative stone casts were used to quantify alveolar ridge augmentation. Volumetric evaluation was measured in mL whereas linear laboratory evaluation was measured in millimeters. Measurements were made 1 and 6 months after bone grafting. Histologic and histomorphometric analysis from the grafted area evaluated new bone formation, and osteoconductivity of IBM. RESULTS: For all patients Type II to III bone quality was achieved at the augmented sites. The implant survival rate was 100% at second-stage surgery. No complication was observed at the recipient sites. Radiographic evaluation revealed 4.65 mm labial/lingual augmentation, whereas laboratory analysis revealed 4.57 mm. Volumetric laboratory analysis demonstrated 1.00 (+/- 0.29) mL alveolar ridge augmentation 6 months after bone grafting and 13.79% resorption between months 1 and 6. Histomorphometric analysis revealed that on average, the area occupied by bone was 34.28% (range 24 to 50; +/-9.05),] soft tissue 46.00% (+/-9.20%; range 30% to 55%), and IBM particles 19.71% (+/-11.74%, range 3% to 42%). The proportion of the surface of the IBM particles in contact with bone was 47.14% (range 15% to 64%; SD 17.21%). CONCLUSIONS: Resorbable collagen membranes may be used as barriers for labial/buccal alveolar ridge augmentation procedures.