Orofacial findings associated with obstructive sleep apnea in a group of Saudi Children

Objectives: To evaluate orofacial and occlusion findings associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in a group of Saudi children.

Methods: The sample consisted of 30 OSA patients, and 30 age and gender matched, healthy control. The following facial and occlusal features were evaluated: frontal view, facial profile, mandibular angle, tongue size, dental midline to facial midline, upper to lower dental midline, overjet, overbite, anterior open bite, cross bite, scissors bite, palatal vault, maxillary and mandibular arch crowding and spacing, molar and canine relationship.

Results: Participants age ranged from 3 to 8 years. Study group had steeper mandibular angle, deeper palatal vault, and less spaced upper and lower arches. There was no statistically significant difference between the two examined groups regarding facial morphology, facial profile, midline, anterior openbite, tongue size, posterior crossbite, overjet or molar relationship.

Conclusion: OSA children have a relatively different orofacial morphology compared with control children. OSA subjects had deeper palatal vault, steeper mandibular plane angle and less spaced upper and lower arches compared to control.