Padmanabhan Vivek, Kavitha P R, Hegde Amitha M
Department of Pediatric and preventive Children Dentistry, Vyas Dental College and Hospital, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.
J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2010 Fall;35(1):15-21. doi: 10.17796/jcpd.35.1.u2010g22480145u4.
Among the many factors important in children's development is sleep. Sleep disorders can impair children's sleep and lead to negative consequences. The most common sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in children is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). One of the main causes of childhood SDB is enlargement of the tonsil tissues and, in most cases, their removal serves as an ultimate treatment of SDB. However, it remains unclear what proportion of children with enlarged tonsil tissue suffer from SDB. Dentists are becoming increasingly aware of the issue of SDB as they are sometimes involved in treatment of this condition using oral appliances. Moreover, as dentists often look into children's mouths, they can play an active role in identifying those with enlarged tonsils and referring them for sleep assessment. This review focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of SDB and also on the utility of oral appliances in the management of this disorder.
睡眠是儿童发育过程中的众多重要因素之一。睡眠障碍会损害儿童的睡眠并导致负面后果。儿童中最常见的睡眠呼吸障碍（SDB）是阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停（OSA）。儿童SDB的主要原因之一是扁桃体组织肿大，在大多数情况下，切除扁桃体是SDB的最终治疗方法。然而，尚不清楚扁桃体组织肿大的儿童中患有SDB的比例是多少。牙医越来越意识到SDB问题，因为他们有时会使用口腔矫治器参与这种疾病的治疗。此外，由于牙医经常查看儿童口腔，他们可以在识别扁桃体肿大的儿童并将他们转介进行睡眠评估方面发挥积极作用。本综述重点关注SDB的诊断和治疗，以及口腔矫治器在这种疾病管理中的作用。
