Correlación entre la presencia de apnea del sueño y las fracturas protésicas e implantológicas. Serie de casos clínicos con identificación del proceso y tratamiento con dispositivo de avance mandibular

Résumé

Introduction: The presence of dental signs and symptoms in patients with sleep apnea (OSA) that are recognizable to the dentist places us in the first line of diagnosis and subsequent treatment for patients suffering from this pathology. From problems such as wear and tear and fractures, we can reach a diagnosis of a pathology with great repercussions for the patient and address a crucial part of the treatment, such as recovering the vertical dimension and the use of mandibular advancement devices. Material and method: We retrospectively recruited patients who attended our dental clinic with problems in different implant rehabilitations of an eminently mechanical nature (fracture of ceramics, prostheses, or components as well as implants) who underwent respiratory polygraphy to reveal the possible presence of OSA. In those cases where this disorder was found to be present, we selected patients with moderate-severe OSA (apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 20) to analyze the different adverse events that occurred according to the severity of the sleep disorder recorded. Results: Twenty-two patients who met the previously established inclusion criteria were recruited. Adverse events were identified in all patients in their implant restorations, these complications being: fracture of the prosthesis ceramic (63.6%), structural fracture of the prosthesis in 18.2% of the cases (structure itself or resin coating in hybrids) and fractures or cracks in the implants in 18.2% of the cases. The mean AHI (apnea-hypopnea index) of all patients was 33.29 (+/- 18.90; range 20-110). If we analyze the presence of adverse events in the prostheses according to the AHI, we find that most adverse events are concentrated in the higher AHI ranges. A therapeutic approach with CPAP (continuous pressurized airway oxygen delivery device) combined with a mandibular advancement device (DIA) was used in two patients, the rest only DIA. With treatment completed, patients went from a mean AHI of 33.29 (+/- 18.90) to a mean of 17.38 (+-10.37), these differences being statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusions: Bruxism and OSA are closely related, as are the dental signs of both processes, such as wear and fracture of teeth, implants or rehabilitations. Dentists can be a fundamental pillar in the treatment of these patients, including the first step in the diagnosis of undiagnosed cases of OSA, which can be identified through dental problems.