[Etiological treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea].

Abstract

Research in the field of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) has been organized, and has profoundly transformed the quality of life of apneic patients, while even inviting dentofacial orthopedists to contribute to their symptomatic treatment. However, among the points still to be elucidated, the initial cause of the snoring that destabilizes the pharynx occupies a place apart. The objective of this article was to develop the proposal by Jacques Talmant regarding a mechanism capable of explaining the onset of OSA and for a therapy to treat pharyngeal destabilization during sleep. Based on published data, the etiopathogenesis of snoring and its consequences are described. Structural changes secondary to the vibratory trauma caused by snoring can affect each component of the pharyngeal structures and contribute to the collapsibility of this airway segment. By directly optimizing the development of ventilatory capabilities in their patients, orthodontists contribute, indirectly, to optimizing their cardiovascular and neuropsychological functions.