Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Prevalence, Etiology & Role of Dentist & Oral Appliances in Treatment: Review Article

Objective: The aim of this article is to provide a detailed description for obstructive sleep apnea regarding its signs and symptoms, the way it is diagnosed, the risk factors, management, the role of dentists and oral appliances in treatment and consequences of untreated condition. Material and Method: Electronic searching was done in PubMed, Medline, EMBASE and CENTRAL databases. Inclusion criteria were: dental, oral and maxillofacial oriented articles. Exclusion criteria: cardiac, obesity and non dental oriented articles were excluded. Result: 59 articles meet the criteria. Conclusion: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a potentially life threatening disorder characterized by repeated collapse of the upper airway during sleep, with periodic cessation of breathing for more than ten seconds. The frequency of obstructive sleep apnea has been found to increase with age; ranging from two percent among children to two and half percent - six percent among adolescents. Overnight polysomnographic test at specialized sleep clinics remains the gold standard for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea disorder. Management of this condition can be performed via surgical and non surgical methods. Continuous positive airway pressure represents the first line of treatment for most patients with obstructive sleep apnea.