Cephalometry and sleep-disordered breathing

Sleep-disordered breathing is a disorder of breathing during sleep characterized by prolonged increased upper airway resistance, partial upper airway obstruction, or complete obstruction that disrupts pulmonary ventilation, oxygenation, or sleep quality. It ranges from snoring to partial upper airway obstruction and to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The pathophysiology of pediatric OSA is multifaceted. Recent research suggests that OSAS may be due to a combination of abnormalities. While polysomnography remains the gold standard, certain other modalities to diagnose such as cephalometry can also be explored.