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Observational Study
. 2023 May 29;24(1):19.
doi: 10.1186/s40510-023-00464-5.

Correlation between dental arch form and OSA severity in adult patients: an observational study

Domenico Ciavarella  1 , Alessandra Campobasso  1 , Elisa Conte  2 , Giuseppe Burlon  1 , Laura Guida  1 , Graziano Montaruli  1 , Michele Cassano  1 , Michele Laurenziello  1 , Gaetano Illuzzi  1 , Michele Tepedino  3
Affiliations
Observational Study

Correlation between dental arch form and OSA severity in adult patients: an observational study

Domenico Ciavarella et al. Prog Orthod. .

Abstract

Background: The role of interdental widths and palatal morphology on the development of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has not been well investigated in adult patients yet. The aim of this paper was to assess the morphology of maxilla and mandibular dental arches on three-dimensional (3D) casts and to correlate these measurements with the severity of OSA.

Methods: Sixty-four patients (8 women and 56 men, mean age 52.4) with a diagnosis of mild-to-moderate OSA were retrospectively enrolled. On each patient, home sleep apnea test and 3D dental models were collected. Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and oxygen desaturation index (ODI) were recorded, as well as the dental measurements including inter-molar distance, anterior and posterior widths of maxillary and mandibular arches, upper and lower arch lengths, palatal height, and palatal surface area. The respiratory and dental variables were then correlated.

Result: A statistically inverse correlation was found between ODI and anterior width of lower arch, maxillary arch length, palatal height, and palatal area. AHI showed a significant inverse correlation with anterior width of mandibular arch and maxillary length.

Conclusion: A significant inverse correlation between maxillary and mandibular morphology and respiratory parameters was shown in the present paper.

Keywords: 3D printing; Craniofacial anomalies; Morphometrics; Obstructive sleep apnea; Sleep apnea.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
a. Upper inter-molar distance, b. Anterior width of upper arch, c. Anterior width of lower arch, d. Posterior width of upper arch, e. Posterior width of lower arch, f. Upper arch length, g. Lower arch length
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
a. Palatal height, b. Palatal surface area, c. Palatal surface area separated from the rest of the maxilla
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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