Role of Paediatric Dentist in Non-Invasive Management of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in Children

BACKGROUND Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a chronic disorder in which repetitive episodes of cessation of breathing occurs during sleep due to collapse of upper airway leading to recurrent awakening, sleep fragmentation, and perturbation in ventilatory function. The disorder is much more common than realised and the manifestations in children are different from those in adults. OSAS may present in different ways like cognitive dysfunction, excessive day time somnolence, decreased attention span, drooling of saliva, mood disorders like depression or irritability as well as adverse cardiovascular sequelae like hypertension, heart failure. Polysomnography or overnight sleep studies remain the gold standard for the diagnosis of paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea (POSA) disorder. Therapeutic approaches for POSA include surgical and nonsurgical means. The choice of therapy depends on various factors like aetiology, severity of the POSA and patient’s choice. Although continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) remains the first line therapy in adults, the introduction of oral appliances provided an attractive alternative and made the role of dentists more prominent in management of this disorder. OSA is often under-diagnosed due to lack of awareness. So, it is essential for dentists to be aware of the various aspects of this disorder as well as its management. KEY WORDS OSA, Paediatric Dentist, Oral Appliances, Non-Invasive Management