Introduction. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) syndrome represents a
significant medical problem due to numerous consequences that may follow it.
Objective. The aim of the study was to analyze morphology of the maxilla in
children with mouth breathing, and to assess possible characteristics in
persons with marked clinical features of OSA. Methods. The sample comprised
of 60 examinees aged from 8-10 years, all mouth-breathers. The following
X-ray cephalometric parameters were measured: angle of maxillary pragmatism,
cranial base angle, angle between the palatal plane and the anterior cranial
base, maxillary length, distance from the most prominent labial surface of
the maxillary central incisor to NA line, angle between the axis of the upper
maxillary incisor and NA line. Following parameters were obtained from the
casts: anterior and posterior width of the maxillary arch, height of the
maxillary arch, index of the palatal height, as well as the apical base
length. Assessed values were then compared to the corresponding norms.
Results. Compared to the corresponding norms, statistically significant lower
values were determined for the following parameters of the sample: SpP/SN,
AW, PW, AB. Conclusion. Analysis of the morphological characteristics of the
maxilla in mouth breathing children showed characteristics also present in
persons with marked clinical features of OSA syndrome, such as a narrow
maxilla, insufficient apical base length, as well as the reduced angle of the
palatal plane angle to the anterior cranial base. All these suggest a
possible increased risk of developing OSA syndrome in children?s later age.
Snoring toddlers with and without obstructive sleep apnoea differed with regard to snoring time, adenoid size and mouth breathing
