title: Cephalometric evaluation of facial pattern and hyoid bone position in children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the development of face and hyoid bone in children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) through lateral cephalometries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children aged 7-10 years with mixed dentition and with no previous otorhinolaryngologic, orthodontic or speech therapy treatments were studied. Twenty nasal breathers were compared to 20 mouth breathing children diagnosed as OSAS patients. All children underwent otorhinolaryngologic evaluation and cephalometries; children with OSAS also underwent nocturnal polysomnography in a sleep laboratory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with OSAS presented increase in total and lower anterior heights of the face when compared to nasal breathers. In addition, children with OSAS presented a significantly more anterior and inferior position of the hyoid bone than nasal breathers. No significant differences in upper, anterior or posterior heights of the face were observed between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that there are evident and early changes in facial growth and development among children with OSAS, characterized by increased total and inferior anterior heights of the face, as well as more anterior and inferior position of the hyoid bone.
authors.affiliation: Dental School of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruno B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Carla E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Itikawa
authors.forename: Leila A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: Heidi S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Sander
authors.forename: Regina M F
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Wilma T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Anselmo-Lima
authors.forename: Fabiana C P
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Valera
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D006928:Hyoid Bone / Q000473:pathology*; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000473:pathology*