Effect of Improved Functional Appliance on treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea Syndrome and Airway Changes in Children

Objective To observe the effect of improved twin-block applicance( TBA) on the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome( OSAHS) and airway changes in children. Methods Twenty-five OSAHS children with mandibular deficiency were treated with improved TBA. Oxygen saturation( SaO2),apnea-hypopnea index( AHI)were monitored by polysomnography before and after treatment. Three-dimensional cone beam computed tomography( CBCT) reconstruction was used to analyze the morphological changes of the upper airway. Results After treatment,the patients' volume and area of the upper airway increased significantly( P 0. 05),SaO2 increased but AHI reduced( P 0.05). Conclusion The improved TBA applied to treatment of OSAHS children with mandibular deficiency can increase the shape and size of the airway and improve the airway ventilation effectively.