Prospects of application of cone beam computed tomography for analyzing upper respiratory tract pathologies in patients with dentition system diseases

Abstract

The goal of the study was to analyze the upper respiratory tract condition indicators obtained by means of сone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for patients with dentition system diseases and obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Patients were divided into 3 study groups. The control group (the 1st study group) included the CBCT data obtained for 33 healthy patients. The 2nd study group included the CBCT data obtained for 136 patients with dentition system diseases (partial secondary edentia combined with chronic generalized periodontitis) without sleep disorder signs. The 3rd study group included the CBCT data obtained for 70 patients with partial secondary edentia combined with deep distal occlusion and obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). The CBCT method using the proposed diagnosis criteria made it possible to identify not only dentition system diseases, but also the dysfunction of the upper respiratory tract, in particular the OSAS causes. It was found with confidence that the reduction of the upper respiratory tract diagnostic indicators by 40 % or more, as compared to the regulatory indicators of healthy patients, led to the dysfunction of the respiratory tract and the apnoea development. Deep distal occlusion and secondary edentia conditioned the presence of the upper respiratory tract concave configuration and the localization of the minimum cross-sectional area below the occlusion plane, which increases the probability of development and progression of the obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.