Inês Francisco
Evaluation and treatment in orthodontics
- Master’s degree in Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine of University of Coimbra
- Postgraduate in Orthodontics, Faculty of Medicine of University of Coimbra
- Assistant professor, Institute of Orthodontics, Faculty of Medicine of University of Coimbra
- PhD student, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Porto
Nationality: Portugal
Scientific areas: Pediatric sleep pathology
16 of november, from 15h10 until 15h30
Auditório C
Conference summary
Obstructive sleep apnea in children is a common disease with different levels of severity that can lead to learning difficulties, behavioral problems, and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
Children with this condition present a typical craniofacial morphology, characterized by mandibular retrognathia and/or maxillary constriction. These dentofacial patterns can lead to the narrowing of the upper airways, contributing to the appearance or perpetuation of obstructive sleep apnea.
The Orthodontist plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea: orthodontic records, such as lateral cephalogram, may also identify the presence of obstructive sleep apnea; and orthodontic or surgical-orthodontic treatment has been increasingly used as the only effective method for the treatment of this pathology. The most common treatments for early stages are maxillary expansion and correction of mandibular retrognathia. The treatments of choice for late stages are osteogenic distraction and orthognathic surgery.