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Abstract

Background: This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of orthodontic treatment with prefabricated myofunctional appliances in children with sleep related breathing disorders and obstructive sleep apnoea.
Material and methods: This study comprised of 50 children with obstructive sleep apnoea who were given myofunctional appliances for orthodontic treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the orthodontic treatment with these appliances in children with obstructive sleep apnoea. This was checked by estimating the Apnoea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) Score in subjects after receiving the orthodontic treatment. Mean age of the children was 12.5 years. All the subjects had been asked for consent after explaining the procedure of the study. The parents of the children provided consent for the study.
Results: In this study, 10 subjects belonged to the age group of 5-8 years. 33 subjects belonged to the age group of 9-12 years and 7 subjects belonged to the age group of 13-16 years. There were 39 boys and 11 girls in this study. Before treatment, zero AHI score was not seen in any patient but after treatment, 0 score was seen in 34 children. Mild apnoea was seen in 11 cases before treatment. The count shifted to 7 after treatment. 26 cases showed moderate degree of OSA before treatment, and after treatment, 5 cases showed moderate OSA. Among 13 cases, severe OS was seen. After treatment, only 4 cases showed severe OSA.
Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that orthodontic treatment is effective among children suffering from obstructive sleep apnoea and breathing disorders.