Craniofacial structure in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea.

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Sleep Medicine
• Orthodontics

Background:

• Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) involves breathing pauses during sleep, potentially causing severe health issues.
• Identifying craniofacial structure in OSA patients is crucial for risk stratification.
• Previous studies have compared OSA patients' craniofacial features to normative values.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the craniofacial structure of OSA patients.
• To compare these findings with established cephalometric norms (Hasund, Segner).
• To assess upper airway sagittal dimensions against McNamara's normal values.

Main Methods:

• Polysomnographically diagnosed OSA patients (n=41) were included.
• Lateral cephalograms were used for cephalometric analysis.
• Sagittal dimensions of the upper and lower airways were measured.

Main Results:

• The SNB angle was significantly reduced in OSA patients compared to normal values (p = 0.004).
• Other cephalometric angles (SNA, ANB, NL/NSL, NL/ML, NSL/ML) showed no significant differences.
• The majority of OSA patients exhibited reduced upper airway cross-sectional area and lower sagittal dimensions.

Conclusions:

• Mandibular retrognathia (reduced SNB angle) is a significant craniofacial characteristic in OSA.
• Narrowed upper and lower sagittal airway dimensions are prevalent in OSA patients.
• These craniofacial and airway features may serve as prognostic factors for OSA.