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Published on: December 6, 2016
Sleepiness in children with severe malocclusion compared with in children with neutral occlusion
Sanne Nygaard Bruun1, Camilla Hansen1, Liselotte Sonnesen1
1Section of Orthodontics, Department of Odontology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Insights
Children with severe malocclusion experience more daytime sleepiness than those with neutral occlusion. This increased sleepiness may be linked to specific craniofacial morphology, particularly maxillary inclination.
Area of Science:
- Orthodontics and Sleep Science
- Pediatric Health and Craniofacial Development
Background:
- Severe malocclusion in children is common.
- Daytime sleepiness is a potential concern in pediatric populations.
- Understanding the link between malocclusion and sleep is crucial for child health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare daytime sleepiness in children with severe malocclusion versus healthy controls.
- To investigate associations between daytime sleepiness and craniofacial morphology in children with severe malocclusion.
Main Methods:
- 120 children with severe malocclusion and 35 controls underwent sleepiness assessments (Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Berlin Questionnaire).
- Craniofacial morphology was evaluated using lateral cephalograms.
- Statistical analysis utilized a general linear model, adjusted for age, gender, and BMI.
Main Results:
- Children with severe malocclusion showed significantly higher rates of daytime sleepiness compared to controls (P=0.015).
- A trend towards extreme daytime tiredness was observed in the malocclusion group (P=0.054).
- Maxillary inclination was the only craniofacial feature significantly associated with daytime sleepiness (P=0.043).
Conclusions:
- Severe malocclusion is associated with increased daytime sleepiness in children.
- A potential link exists between daytime sleepiness and craniofacial morphology, specifically maxillary inclination.
- Findings support interdisciplinary collaboration for diagnosing and treating sleep-disordered breathing in children.
Introduction:
The study aimed to compare daytime sleepiness in children with severe malocclusion with healthy children with neutral occlusion (controls) and to analyze associations between daytime sleepiness and craniofacial morphology in children with severe malocclusion.
Methods:
In 120 children with severe malocclusion (73 girls, 47 boys; mean age, 11.96 years; mean body mass index [BMI] score, 18.97 kg/m2) and 35 controls (18 girls, 17 boys; mean age, 11.97 years; mean BMI score, 20.28 kg/m2), sleep and daytime sleepiness were recorded using Epworth Sleepiness Scale and Berlin Questionnaire. Occlusion was registered clinically, and craniofacial morphology was assessed on lateral cephalograms. Differences in daytime sleepiness and sleep between the groups and associations between daytime sleepiness and sleep and craniofacial morphology were analyzed by a general linear model adjusted for age, gender, and BMI score.
Results:
Daytime sleepiness occurred significantly more often in children with malocclusion than in control subjects (P = 0.015). There was a tendency for children with malocclusion to feel extremely tired during the day more often than controls (P = 0.054). There was no significant difference between the groups in sleeping hours during night-time, but the amount of sleep was negatively associated with age (P <0.001) and BMI score (P = 0.004). Only maxillary inclination was significantly associated with daytime sleepiness (P = 0.043).
Conclusions:
Daytime sleepiness occurred significantly more often in children with severe malocclusion than in those with neutral occlusion, and the association between daytime sleepiness and craniofacial morphology may exist. The results might prove valuable in interdisciplinary collaboration between medical doctors and orthodontists in diagnostics, prevention, and treatment of children at risk for sleep-disordered breathing.
