Sleep-disordered breathing and orthodontic variables in children—Pilot study

Abstract Introduction Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) is a highly prevalent condition associated with orofacial and dentofacial characteristics. Objective The aim of this study was to verify the association of dental malocclusion, molar relationship, crossbite, open bite, overjet, overbite, and crowding with SDB in children aged 7–9 years. Materials and methods Participating schools were selected randomly from within the public elementary school system. In the first phase of the study, the parents of 1216 children aged between 7 and 9 years old completed the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) questionnaire and the children had to participate in a dental examination. The evaluation of occlusion was divided into sagittal analysis, vertical analysis, and transverse analysis. In the second phase, 60 children were selected randomly to be undergone polysomnography (PSG) at a sleep clinic. Results Among the children included, 242 (19.9%) children had normal occlusion. Of the 60 children, 50 underwent PSG and 40 (80%) had SDB. The crossbite and open bite showed association with SDB, p = 0.04 in both. Conclusion Crossbite and open bite malocclusions were associated with SDB, and may be predictive of SDB in children. Studies with larger numbers of participants are needed to investigate the association of other malocclusions with SDB, and randomized clinical trials are also needed to see whether orthodontic and/or functional jaw orthopedic treatment is an option for treating children with malocclusion and SDB.