Dental News - New study: 7 percent of children in orthodontic care at risk for sleep disorders

Dental Tribune International

Thu. 27. September 2018

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CLEVELAND, Ohio, U.S.: Researchers at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Dental Medicine have found that about 7 percent of children between ages 9 and 17 in orthodontic care are at a high risk for sleep-disordered breathing. This disorder can lead to restlessness, hyperactivity and concentration problems.

For the study, 303 children or their parents completed a questionnaire about sleep and symptoms. About 7 percent responded with enough “yes” answers to put them at a high risk for sleep-disordered breathing.

“The rate is higher than we expected,” said Prof. J. Martin Palomo, a professor in the Department of Orthodontics at the dental school, and senior author of the study. The researchers note that sleep-disordered breathing in children may be underrecognized and underreported. They also suggest that the same portion of adolescents in orthodontic care in the general population could similarly be at risk.

However, according to Palomo, orthodontists are well-positioned to help affected patients because they see children whose facial development or jaw alignment has been impacted by breathing problems. When spotting a potential problem, they can make a referral to a sleep specialist.

“Sleep is a tightly regulated and well-organized biologic process affecting daily functioning as well as physical and mental health,” Palomo said. “Sleep, or a lack of sleep, affects adults and children differently.”

Sleep-disordered breathing describes several conditions—including apneas—characterized by abnormal breathing patterns.

When adults get tired, they typically show signs of sleepiness: yawning, heavy eyelids and sitting down to rest. In contrast, children tend to get hyperactive. They also might snore, breathe through the mouth during the day, awake with dry mouth or become easily distracted.

Palomo hopes the study will help educate both the public and orthodontists. He also believes, based on published reports, that many children with sleep disorders are misdiagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), given that the symptoms of both are strikingly similar. “I think it’s important to rule out sleep disorders before a patient is medicated for ADHD,” he added.

The study, titled “Sleep disordered breathing in children seeking orthodontic care”, was published in the July 2018 issue of the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics.

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One thought on “New study: 7 percent of children in orthodontic care at risk for sleep disorders”

John Berne says:

November 13, 2018 at 2:54 am

It is absolutely amazing that that percentage of patients receiving orthodontic treatment have sleep disordered breathing and aren’t being treated for it. Surely mouthbreathing is the number one sign of potential growth problems and should be addressed well before a child turns 9 years of age, let alone 17 years of age. The training schools in orthodontics had better up their anti if this is what they are teaching future orthodontists.

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