Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by a reduced airflow through the upper airways during sleep. Two forms of obstructive sleep apnea are described: the central form and the obstructive form. The obstructive form is related to many factors, such as the craniofacial morphology. To evaluate the correlation between the morphology of the cranial base, of the mandible and the maxilla, and obstructive sleep apnea severity. Eighty-four patients, mean age of 50.4 years old; 73 males and 11 females with obstructive sleep apnea were enrolled in the present study. Patients with high body mass index and comorbidities were excluded. Lateral cephalograms and polysomnography were collected for each patient to evaluate the correlation between craniofacial morphology and obstructive sleep apnea severity. A Spearman’s rho correlation test between cephalometric measurements and obstructive sleep apnea indexes was computed. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Patients with a severe obstructive sleep apnea presented a reduction of sagittal growth of both effective mandibular length and cranio-basal length. The mandibular length was the only variable with a statistical correlation with apnea-hypopnea index. Vertical dimension showed a weak correlation with the severity of obstructive sleep apnea. No correlation with maxillary sagittal dimension was shown. Obstructive sleep apnea severity may be correlated to mandibular and cranial base growth. Facial vertical dimension had no correlation with obstructive sleep apnea severity.

The aim of this study is to evaluate determinants of maxillary canine impaction taking into account both canine position related variables and the pattern of facial growth. A retrospective clinical and radiographic analysis was carried out on 109 patients aged between 9 and 10 years at the time of first evaluation. At baseline, SN-GoMe angle, the interincisal angle, the canine angle α and the canine distance d were used to characterize canine location and vertical facial growth. At the end of a two years follow up period the eruption state of each canine of each patient was recorded and accordingly classified as erupted or impacted on a clinical and radiographic basis. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed, including correlation among the studied variables and principal components analysis; several machine learning methods were also used in order to built a predictive model. At the end of the two years follow up period after the first examination, 54 (24.77%) canines were classified as impacted. Except for Angle α values, there were no statistically significant differences between impacted and erupted canines. The studied variables were not significantly correlated, except for the SN-GoMe Angle and the distance d in the impacted canine group and the angle α and the distance d in erupted canines group. All variables, except for SN-GoMe Angle in erupted canines, have a partial communality with the first two principal components greater than 50%. Among the learning machine methods tested to classify data, the best performance was obtained by the random forest method, with an overall accuracy in predicting canine eruption of 88.3%. The studied determinants are easy to perform measurements on 2D routinely executed radiographic images; they seems independently related to canine impaction and have reliable accuracy in predicting maxillary canine eruption. Key words:Canine impaction, Determinants, Facial growth.

Introduction: Temporomandibular disease (TMD) etiology is multifactorial and is related to many perpetuating, predisposing, and initiating factors. The daytime parafunctions may have an important role in TMD pathogenesis. The most frequent parafunctions analyzed were the static parafunction (ie, clenching) and the dynamic parafunction (ie, grinding). In the present paper, the authors evaluated the swallowing (an oral function/parafunction) with the surface electromyography in patients with TMD. Materials and Methods: Twenty patients with TMD problems (nonhealthy patients, NHP) (mean age: 33 ± 1.994; 8 men and 12 women) and 20 healthy matched subjects (HP) (34.4 ± 2.782; 6 men and 14 women) were selected and examined. On each patient, an 8-channel surface electromyography was done during saliva swallowing. Results: Nonhealthy patients presented higher masseter and temporalis activation (P < 0.05) and an unbalancing of temporalis and submental muscles activation (P < 0.05) than the HP. Discussion: Nonhealthy patients presented a time of swallow higher than HP (P < 0.001). Nonhealthy patients presented a higher muscles activation and time of swallow than HP and a decrease of muscles balancing activation.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate: (i) maxillary occlusal plane changes after clear aligners therapy with a 3D measurement technique; and (ii) as a secondary outcome, if such changes were correlated to the patient’s 1axilla-mandibular divergence. 3D maxillary models of 32 patients (7 males and 25 females; mean age 22.3 +/− 3.4 year) treated with clear aligners were analyzed. The angle (α) between a reference palatine plane and a maxillary occlusal plane was measured. Five angular cephalometric measurements (NSL/MP; PP-OP; OP-MP; PP-MP; PFH/AFH%) were performed and related to Δα. The subjects were further divided into three groups according to facial divergence. After aligner treatment, Δα increased in hyperdivergent patients and decreased in hypodivergent patients (p < 0.05). Δα showed a significant positive correlation with NSL/MP (rho = 0.44) and negative correlation with PFH/AFH% (rho = −0.53). Aligners treatment produced a counterlockwise rotation of the maxillary occlusal plane, even if this rotation occurs differently depending on divergence.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep-related breathing disorder associated with craniofacial morphology and dental arches. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between obstructive sleep apnea and the morphometry of dental arches and upper airways. Methods: Forty patients were enrolled in the study, and the polysomnographic parameters evaluated were the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) and the oxygen desaturation index (ODI). Dental measurements taken from the 3D models included anterior arch widths, posterior arch widths, maxillary and mandibular arch lengths, and palatal surface area. A cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) evaluation was also performed. Results: In patients with moderate OSA, posterior maxillary width was significantly correlated with both minimal airway area (rho = 0.65, p < 0.01) and its transverse diameter (rho = 0.68, p < 0.01). Similarly, in patients with severe OSA, posterior maxillary width showed a significant correlation with total airway volume (rho = 1, p < 0.01), minimal airway area (rho = 1, p < 0.01), and its transverse diameter (rho = 1, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Craniofacial morphology and malocclusion can contribute to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.