Odontostomatological therapeutic possibilities in patients with sleep apnea.

Objectives: To evaluate the different therapeutic possibilities for treating Sleep Apnea/ Hypoapnea Syndrome (SAHS), as well as the effectiveness of such treatments, and to evaluate the epidemiological and clinical aspects of this syndrome.

Study Design: We carried out a meta-analytical, observational and retrospective study by selecting a total of 13 articles, which provided a sample size of 642 diagnosed cases of SAHS.

Results: SAHS was more prevalent among males (88.7%) and the average age of diagnosis was 49.75 years old. In the majority of cases, these patients were found to be overweight, with an average body mass index of 28.32 Kg/m(2). The average apnea / hypoapnea index was 31.64 apneas / hypoapneas per hour, which is therefore considered to be a moderate type of SAHS. The therapeutic approach involved intraoral mandibular advancement devices in 77.96% of the cases, followed by 16% of the patients who were treated with continuous positive airway pressure devices during sleep (CPAP), and lastly, 7% underwent surgical treatment.

Conclusions: SAHS is a complex clinical condition that requires a multidisciplinary team in order to diagnose and treat it. There are several therapeutic possibilities available to professionals, which have obtained highly satisfactory results.