[Dentofacial development abnormalities in paediatric sleep-related breathing disorders]

The recent interest in sleep-related breathing disorders has re-opened the old debate as to whether there is a causal relationship between upper respiratory obstruction and abnormalities in dentofacial development.

To establish the impact of dentofacial development on sleep-related breathing disorders in children.

This is a prospective study in which the dentofacial studies of 30 children, diagnosed with a sleep-related breathing disorder using polysomnography, were compared with a control group of 30 healthy children. The ages of both groups were between 3 and 13 years.

The statistical analysis showed significant differences between the groups in the proportion of children with a narrow palate (83% of the problem group and 57% in the control; P=0.024) and cross bite (40% and 13%; P=0.020). On comparing the angles measured, the only statistically-significant difference was the skull base-mandibular plane angle: The problem children group had a mean of 37.59±5.56 and the control group, a mean of 34.41±4.62 (P=0.023).

Children with sleep-related breathing disorders have abnormalities in facial and dental development caused by upper respiratory obstruction. These anomalies, vertical growth of the face, narrow palate and dental occlusion changes should be taken into account when assessing the indication for a adenotonsillectomy.