Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in children and the contribution of orthodontist in the treatment

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in children is a pathology that can lead to serious complications.It is therefore imperative to detect this disease as early as possible in order to be able to treat it.The narrowing of the airways responsible for OSAS is frequently the result of enlarged lymphoid tissue in children. Surgical removal of the adenoids and tonsils is the first line of treatment. However, this surgical treatment is not sufficient in young patients with maxillary hypodevelopment with narrow, arched palate, and mandibular retrusion or hyperdivergence.With two types of devices (mandibular propulsion orthosis, distractor), the orthodontist can effectively contribute to the treatment of pediatric OSAS.