Role of oral health professional in pediatric obstructive sleep apnea

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Sleep Medicine
• Dental Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is prevalent in children, potentially causing significant detriments to health, neurodevelopment, and quality of life.
• Obesity exacerbates obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children, leading to higher morbidity and distinct clinical presentations.
• Current therapeutic options for pediatric OSA include surgery, continuous positive airway pressure, anti-inflammatory agents, and oral appliances (OAs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the public health significance of SDB in children.
• To emphasize the role of dentistry in identifying and managing pediatric SDB, particularly with oral appliances.
• To discuss the expanded therapeutic landscape for pediatric OSA, including OAs.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on pediatric sleep disordered breathing and its management.
• Discussion of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's recommendation for oral appliances in OSA treatment.
• Exploration of the dentist's role in identifying adenotonsillar hypertrophy and managing SDB with OAs.

Main Results:

• Sleep disordered breathing in children poses a significant public health concern.
• Oral appliances are a recommended treatment for OSA by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
• Dentists are well-positioned to identify children with potential SDB and offer OAs as a viable treatment.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric SDB requires recognition as a public health problem.
• Dentists can play a crucial role in the early identification and management of SDB in children using oral appliances.
• Oral appliances offer a valuable nonsurgical alternative for pediatric OSA management, especially for specific patient groups.