Cephalometric pattern and nasal patency in children with primary snoring: the evidence of a direct correlation

Volumetric changes in the upper airway on CBCT after dentofacial orthopedic interventions - a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To provide a critical overview of the effect of various orthodontic and/or dentofacial orthopedic interventions on three-dimensional volumetric changes in the upper airway.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Four databases were searched for clinical studies concerning 3D volumetric assessments based on CBCT before and after orthodontics interventions. The quality of the studies was assessed using the quality assessment tool of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. After the use of inclusion and exclusion criteria, the pre-and post-treatment volumes were used to visualize the effect of various orthodontics interventions.

RESULTS

A total of 48 studies were included in this review and none of which were RCTs. The quality of all included studies was assessed as medium. Overall, there is a tendency for an increase in airway volumes after various orthodontic interventions, except for studies concerning extraction therapy with fixed appliances in adults, in which both increases and decreases in airway volumes have been reported.

CONCLUSION

Orthodontic treatment by growth modification and non-extraction therapy with fixed appliances, regardless of the malocclusion, generally showed positive effects on the airway volume. Orthodontic treatment in combination with extractions does not provide an unambiguous insight. A consensus on the methodology of the airway measurement and nomenclature is urgently needed in order to gain insight into the effect of different interventions on three-dimensional airway changes.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Various orthodontic treatments do not negatively influence the upper airway volume. However, extraction therapy in adults should be chosen with caution, especially in subjects belonging to a group susceptible to airway obstruction.

Exploring the Intricate Links between Adenotonsillar Hypertrophy, Mouth Breathing, and Craniofacial Development in Children with Sleep-Disordered Breathing: Unraveling the Vicious Cycle

Adenotonsillar hypertrophy has been well-acknowledged as the primary instigator of sleep-disordered breathing in the pediatric population. This condition spans a spectrum, from typical age-related growth that the immune system influences to persistent pathological hypertrophy. Reduction in air spaces, metabolic changes, neurobehavioral alterations, and chronic inflammation characterizes the latter form. As the go-to treatment, adenotonsillectomy has proven effective. However, it is not a guarantee for all patients, leaving us without reliable predictors of treatment success. Evidence suggests a connection between adenotonsillar hypertrophy and specific oral breathing patterns resulting from craniofacial development. This finding implies an intricate interdependence between the two, hinting at a self-sustaining vicious cycle that persists without proper intervention. The theories regarding the relationship between craniofacial conformation and sleep-disordered breathing have given rise to intriguing perspectives. In particular, the "gracilization theory" and the "gravitational hypothesis" have provided fascinating insights into the complex interaction between craniofacial conformation and SDB. Further investigation is crucial to unraveling the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms behind this relationship. It is also vital to explore the risk factors linked to adenotonsillectomy failure, study the long-term effects of adenotonsillar hypertrophy on craniofacial growth, and devise innovative diagnostic techniques to detect upper airway compromise early. Moreover, to assess their efficacy, we must delve into novel therapeutic approaches for cases that do not respond to traditional treatment, including positional therapy and orofacial myofunctional therapy. Though complex and unpredictable, these challenges promise to enhance our understanding and treatment of adenotonsillar hypertrophy and its related complications in children. By taking on this task, we can pave the way for more effective and targeted interventions, ultimately improving affected individuals' well-being and quality of life.

Evaluation of nasal airway resistance in a cohort of children with primary snoring and maxillary deficiency

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to test whether rapid palatal expansion is effective to improve nasal airway patency in a sample of pediatric patients with primary snoring.

METHODS

A group of 21 subjects, 11 girls (52%) and 10 boys (48%), with a mean age of 7.1 years (SD=1.3; range 4-9 years) were treated with a rapid maxillary expansion (RME) device. Nasal airway resistance was assessed via rhinomanometric exam before (pre-) and 6 months after (post-) the rapid palatal expansion treatment.

RESULTS

Data analysis showed a statistically significant increase in the mean scores of the results of the rhinomanometric exam between the pre- and post-measurements with a significant reduction in total inspiratory and expiratory air resistance values after rapid palatal expansion.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that RME treatment is associated with an improvement in nasal airway resistance due to a substantial reduction in nasal resistance associated with the orthopedic action of the orthodontic device.

Association between the intensity of obstructive sleep apnea and skeletal alterations in the face and hyoid bone

Introduction

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Three-dimensional analysis of upper airway and craniofacial morphology in orthodontic adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A comparative retrospective study

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to evaluate craniofacial characteristics and upper airway morphology in adolescents with Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity (ADHD) compared to controls (CON).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Records from July 2014 to May 2018 of patients who were seeking orthodontic treatment at a single institute and had full pre-treatment orthodontic records including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) were reviewed. Comprehensive cephalometric variables were measured to determine craniofacial morphology. Upper airway volume (UAV), minimum cross-sectional area (MCA), and linear measurements were calculated at multiple planes.

RESULTS

A total of 87 adolescents (ADHD, 29; CON, 58) were included in the study. Overall, UAV and MCA in ADHA group were smaller than CON. Statistical significance was evident in airway widths at planes A (P=0.002), C (P=0.042), and D (P<0.001), and airway area at plane D (lower hypopharynx) (P<0.001), with the ADHD group showing narrower widths and area compared to CON. The most common skeletal classification in the ADHD group was sequenced as Class II, Class I then Class III, with percentages of (58.6%), (31%) and (10.3%), respectively. No significant differences were found between the groups for any of the skeletal, dental, and soft tissue cephalometric variables.

CONCLUSIONS

ADHD affected adolescents have similar craniofacial characteristics, but narrower upper airway dimensions compared to controls. Further investigations with larger samples are warranted to further elucidate the relationship between SDB and ADHD.

Effects of miniscrew-assisted orthodontic treatment with premolar extractions on upper airway dimensions in adult patients with Class II high-angle malocclusion

INTRODUCTION

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the change in upper airway dimensions and in mandibular position after miniscrew-assisted treatment with premolar extractions in adult patients with Class II high-angle malocclusion. The secondary aim was to determine the correlation between changes in upper airway dimensions and changes in mandibular position in these patients.

METHODS

Eighteen adult patients with Class II high-angle malocclusion (mean ± standard deviation age = 21.2 ± 2.9 years) were selected retrospectively. All patients underwent 4 premolar extractions, and 2 miniscrews were implanted in the maxilla to intrude molar height. Cone beam computed tomography images were taken pretreatment and posttreatment for every patient. The primary outcome variable for the upper airway was the minimal cross-sectional area of the upper airway (CSA_min), and the primary outcome variables for the mandible were mandibular rotation (Mp-SN angle), mandibular horizontal position (SNB angle), and mandibular vertical position (ANS-Me distance).

RESULTS

The CSA_min significantly increased by 47.2 mm² (t = -2.26, P = 0.04) after orthodontic treatment. The mandible significantly rotated counterclockwise by 0.9° (t = 2.20, P = 0.04) after treatment, which consisted of forward movement of 1.2° (t = -4.30, P = 0.00) and upward movement of 1.3 mm (Z = -1.98, P = 0.05). Furthermore, the change of the CSA_min showed a significant correlation with the change of the ANS-Me (P = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

By using miniscrews to intrude maxillary molars, orthodontic premolar extraction treatment results in mandibular counterclockwise rotation, and upper airway dimensions increase in Class II high-angle young adult patients. The increase of the upper airway dimensions significantly correlates to the upward movement of the mandible.

Sleep-disordered breathing among Saudi children seeking orthodontic treatment

Aims

The aim of this research is to assess the prevalence of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and evaluate the risks and symptoms in children seeking orthodontic treatment in a Saudi dental center.

Settings and Design

It is a cross-sectional survey-based study.

Methods and Material

Pediatric sleep questionnaire (PSQ) was used to survey 285 children and adolescents aged 5 to 18 years old who are undergoing orthodontic screening in a Saudi Dental Center.

Statistical Analysis Used

PSQ scores were tested with multiple variables including gender, parents' education, academic performance using Mann-Whitney-U test. Correlation of study sample scores with age were calculated using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (rho).

Results

In this study 136 (47.7%) of the participants were deemed to be high risk for developing SDB and 149 (52.3%) were low risk, males were significantly at higher risk compared to females (P ≤ 0.05). Participants with previous adenoidectomy surgery were more likely to be identified as high-risk for SDB (P-value = 0.000) as well as participants with a family history of snoring (P-value = 0.000).

Conclusions

Sleep disordered breathing was prevalent among Saudi children seeking orthodontic therapy, it is important to screen children and adolescents in dental pediatric and orthodontic clinics for SDB risk as this is a prevalent disorder among this population, early detection of SDB will improve patients' quality of life and prevent future complications associated to this disorder.

Pediatric sleep-disordered breathing in the orthodontic population: Prevalence of positive risk and associations

INTRODUCTION

Pediatric sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) describes a spectrum of disease ranging from snoring to upper airway resistance syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Anatomical features assessed during orthodontic exams are often associated with symptoms of SDB in children. Hence, we need to determine the prevalence of positive risk for SDB in the pediatric orthodontic population compared with a general pediatric population and understand comorbidities associated with SDB risk among orthodontic patients.

METHODS

Responses from Pediatric Sleep Questionnaires were collected from 390 patients between the ages of 5 and 16 years, seeking orthodontic treatment. Prevalence of overall SDB risk, habitual snoring, and sleepiness were determined in the orthodontic population and compared with those previously reported by identical methods in the general pediatric population. Additional health history information was used to assess comorbidities associated with SDB risk in 130 of the patients.

RESULTS

At 10.8%, the prevalence of positive SDB risk was found to be significantly higher in the general pediatric orthodontic population than in a healthy pediatric population (5%). The prevalence of snoring and sleepiness in the orthodontic population was 13.3% and 17.9%, respectively. Among the comorbidities, nocturnal enuresis (13.6%), overweight (18.2%), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (31.8%) had a higher prevalence in orthodontic patients with higher SDB risk (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a higher pediatric SDB risk prevalence in the orthodontic population compared with a healthy pediatric population. Orthodontic practitioners should make SDB screening a routine part of their clinical practice.

Association between snoring and deciduous dental development and soft tissue profile in 3-year-old children

INTRODUCTION

The aim was to study the association between snoring and development of occlusion, maxillary dental arch, and soft tissue profile in children with newly completed deciduous dentition.

METHODS

Thirty-two (18 female, 14 male) parent-reported snorers (snoring ≥3 nights/week) and 19 (14 female, 6 male) nonsnorers were recruited. Breathing preference (nose or mouth) was assessed at the mean age of 27 months by otorhinolaryngologist. At the mean age of 33 months, an orthodontic examination was performed, including sagittal relationship of second deciduous molars, overjet, overbite, and occurrence of crowding and lateral crossbite. Bite index was obtained to measure maxillary dental arch dimensions (intercanine and intermolar width, arch length). A profile photograph was obtained to measure facial convexity.

RESULTS

No significant differences were found between nonsnorers and snorers in any of the studied occlusal characteristics or in measurements of maxillary dental arch dimensions. Snorers were found to have a more convex profile than nonsnorers. Occurrence of mouth breathing was more common among snorers.

CONCLUSIONS

Parent-reported snoring (≥3 nights/week) does not seem to be associated with an adverse effect on the early development of deciduous dentition, but snoring children seem to have more convex profile than nonsnorers. Snoring is a mild sign of sleep-disordered breathing, and in the present study its short time lapse may not have had adequate functional impact on occlusion.

Malocclusion and rhinitis in children: an easy-going relationship or a yet to be resolved paradox? A systematic literature revision

OBJECTIVE

The relation between nasal flow and malocclusion represents a practical concern to pediatricians, otorhinolaryngologists, orthodontists, allergists and speech therapists. If naso-respiratory function may influence craniofacial growth is still debated. Chronic mouth-breathing is reported to be associated also with a characteristic pattern of dental occlusion. On the other hand, also malocclusion may reduce nasal air flows promoting nasal obstruction. Hereby, the aim of this review was to describe the relationship between rhinitis and malocclusion in children.

METHODS

An electronic search was conducted using online database including Pubmed, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Embase. All studies published through to January 30, 2017 investigating the prevalence of malocclusion in children and adolescents (aged 0-20 years) affected by rhinitis and the prevalence of rhinitis in children with malocclusion were included. The protocol was registered at PROSPERO - International prospective register of systematic reviews under CRD42016053619.

RESULTS

Ten studies with 2733 patients were included in the analysis. The prevalence of malocclusion in children with rhinitis was specified in four of the studies ranging from as high as 78.2% to as low as 3%. Two out of the studies reported the prevalence of rhinitis in children with malocclusion with a rate ranging from 59.2 to 76.4%.

CONCLUSION

The results of this review underline the importance of the diagnosis and treatment of the nasal obstruction at an early age to prevent an altered facial growth, but the data currently available on this topic do not allow to establish a possible causal relationship between rhinitis and malocclusion.

Gravitational forces, negative pressure and facial structure in the genesis of airway dysfunction during sleep: a review of the paradigm

The recent and distant literature has extensive discussion of how sleep apnea, adeno-tonsillar growth, and facial structural deformity are related. Conventionally, the order of cause and effect is as follows: (1) Inflammatory/infectious process→tonsillar/adenoid tissue growth→(2) airway obstruction and mouth breathing/Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)→(3) altered facial structure (adenoid facies). Using this same reasoning, adenotonsillectomy is the first line of treatment in the prevention of structural abnormalities. However, through a lifetime of clinical research Christian Guilleminault and his colleagues have challenged this paradigm. Through multiple articles and studies, Guilleminault et al., teach that even slight (subclinical) facial structure/muscle tone variations may be the inciting event triggering mouth-breathing and the eventual adenotonsillar growth in most patients. Essentially, this is the reverse of the conventional paradigms. Initial treatments therefore shift from simplified removal of inflammatory tissue to limiting mouth-breathing via musculo-skeletal modification. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize and analyze the recent (and distant) relevant literature to provide support for, and provide a potential anatomic mechanism for Guilleminault et al.'s paradigm-questioning clinical observations.

Cranial base length in pediatric populations with sleep disordered breathing: A systematic review

The aim of this study was to review the existing literature on the association between cranial base length (CBL) and sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in children. Searches were carried out using Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Science Citation Index. Modified NIH (National Institute of Health) quality assessment tool was used to assess risk of bias. Grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluation (GRADE) was used to summarize the quality of evidence. Six articles met the inclusion criteria. Two studies (n = 57) showed shorter CBL in children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). One study (n = 29) showed shorter CBL in children that were habitual snorers. Another study (n = 15) looking at OSA-affected vs. healthy children and one (n = 56) looking at correlation of CBL with OSA severity in children, did not report a significant association/correlation. One study (n = 7) showed a longer CBL in OSA affected boys. All studies had high risks of bias and ranged from low to very low in quality. Although studies with slightly lower risks of bias may indicate shorter CBL in children with SDB, neither an association nor a lack thereof between CBL and pediatric SDB can be supported or refuted due to the low to very low quality of included studies.

Three-Dimensional Evaluation of the Upper Airway in Children of Skeletal Class III

The present study was aimed to investigate the relationship of the upper airway size and craniofacial structures in 3 dimensions in growing children of skeletal Class III. Forty-seven children (19 boys and 28 girls, 9.6 ± 1.3 years of age, range 8.0-12.4 years) were selected. Twenty-three children with normal vertical development were divided into groups of insufficient maxilla and overdeveloped mandible for the airway comparison between different sagittal skeletal patterns. Thirty-two children with the same sagittal development were divided into groups of low angle, normal angle, and high angle for the comparison between different vertical skeletal developments. The upper airway and craniofacial structures were measured in cone beam computed tomography images using DOLPHIN 11.7 software. Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to analyze the airway differences between groups. Spearman correlated analysis was done between the upper airway size and the craniofacial pattern in the transverse dimension. The results showed that the nasopharynx was the only affected airway part between groups of insufficient maxilla and overdeveloped mandible (P <0.05). The high angle group showed smaller upper airway compared with the groups of normal angle and low angle (P <0.05). The skeletal transverse dimension was correlated with the height of velopharynx, hypopharynx, and total airway with small gender differences.

Upper Airway Changes after Orthodontic Extraction Treatment in Adults: A Preliminary Study using Cone Beam Computed Tomography

OBJECTIVE

Whether the orthodontic treatment with premolar extraction and maximum anchorage in adults will lead to a narrowed upper airway remains under debated. The study aims to investigate the airway changes after orthodontic extraction treatment in adult patients with Class II and hyperdivergent skeletal malocclusion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study enrolled 18 adults with Class II and hyperdivergent skeletal malocclusion (5 males and 13 females, 24.1 ± 3.8 years of age, BMI 20.33 ± 1.77 kg/m2). And 18 untreated controls were matched 1:1 with the treated patients for age, sex, BMI, and skeletal pattern. CBCT images before and after treatment were obtained. DOLPHIN 11.7 software was used to reconstruct and measure the airway size, hyoid position, and craniofacial structures. Changes in the airway and craniofacial parameters from pre to post treatment were assessed by Wilcoxon signed rank test. Mann-Whitney U test was used in comparisons of the airway parameters between the treated patients and the untreated controls. Significant level was set at 0.05.

RESULTS

The upper and lower incisors retracted 7.87 mm and 6.10 mm based on the measurement of U1-VRL and L1-VRL (P < 0.01), while the positions of the upper and lower molars (U6-VRL, and L6-VRL) remained stable. Volume, height, and cross-sectional area of the airway were not significantly changed after treatment, while the sagittal dimensions of SPP-SPPW, U-MPW, PAS, and V-LPW were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), and the morphology of the cross sections passing through SPP-SPPW, U-MPW, PAS, and V-LPW became anteroposteriorly compressed (P <0.001). No significant differences in the airway volume, height, and cross-sectional area were found between the treated patients and untreated controls.

CONCLUSIONS

The airway changes after orthodontic treatment with premolar extraction and maximum anchorage in adults are mainly morphological changes with anteroposterior dimension compressed in airway cross sections, rather than a decrease in size.

Endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress in children with sleep disordered breathing: role of NADPH oxidase

OBJECTIVE

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in impairing endothelial function in sleep disordered breathing (SDB) but the underlying mechanism is still undefined. The objective of this study was to evaluate the interplay between oxidative stress, assessed by serum isoprostanes (8-iso-PGF2α) and soluble NOX2-dp (sNOX2-dp), and endothelial function, assessed by flow-mediated dilation (FMD), in children with SDB and healthy controls (HC).

METHODS

One-hundred forty-four children including 45 with primary snoring (PS), 22 with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and 67 HC were recruited in this study; in 15 out of 22 OSA children FMD, serum 8-iso-PGF2α and sNOX2-dp were assessed before and after one month post adeno-tonsillectomy (AT).

RESULTS

Compared with HC, OSA and PS children had significantly higher sNOX2-dp and serum 8-iso-PGF2α levels and lower FMD; compared with PS, FMD was significantly lower in OSA children. No significant difference for sNOX2-dp and serum 8-iso-PGF2α was observed between OSA and PS children. FMD was inversely correlated with sNOX2-dp levels (p<0.001) and with serum 8-iso-PGF2α (p<0.001). In multiple linear regression analysis, sNOX2-dp (p<0.001) and serum 8-iso-PGF2α (p<0.001) were the only independent predictive variables associated with FMD. AT significantly decreased sNOX2-dp and serum 8-iso-PGF2α levels (from 38.2±8.8 to 22.4±11.1 pg/ml, p<0.001, and from 281.4±69.7 to 226.0±66.4 pg/ml, p<0.001, respectively); conversely, FMD significantly increased after AT in OSA children (from 3.0±1.5 to 8.0±2.8%, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that NOX2-derived oxidative stress is involved in artery dysfunction in SDB children. Such hypothesis is reinforced by FMD improvement after AT coincidentally with oxidative stress lowering.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02247167.