Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is by far the common type of Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) that has increasingly caught the attention of dentists and Orthodontists. It has become greater public health issue than ever. It affects at least 2-4% of middle-aged population and is defined on the basis of symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and objective measures of SDB. OSA is related to anatomic obstruction of upper airway, during sleep. In obese persons it occurs with comorbid conditions such as Diabetes mellitus, Arrhythmias, Heart failure, Ischemic heart diseases, Systemic and Pulmonary Hypertension and Neurological complications.

Untreated OSA can lead to many serious consequences. Excessive daytime sleepiness increases the risk of Motor Vehicle accidents and diminishes the quality of life. Orthodontic treatments that may reduce oral cavity volume and tongue space, are significant risk factors for OSA. Therefore, an Orthodontist should be well-aware of the symptoms of the disorder and competent enough to recognize it.

KEYWORDS: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB), excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)

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