Overjet May Increase the Risk for Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is commonly associated with obesity. However, there are numerous cases where individuals have sleep apnea and are not obese. In a study performed in Japan, researchers studied ninety-seven men with obstructive sleep apnea. Forty-two of these men displayed a big space between their upper and lower anterior (front) teeth. Due to this large space, when their mouths are closed with their lips together, the front teeth protrude past the lip closure; a situation commonly referred to as over jet. These men had a greater probability of having sleep apnea.
In those individuals who display an over jet, the jaws may not match up properly, and the lower jaw may be so far back as to obstruct the airway during sleep. This situation can possibly be corrected with orthodontic braces if this is a dental problem. Sleep apnea is a common and serious problem affecting tens of millions of people throughout the world. More common in men and individuals over forty years of age, it causes the airway to become blocked when the tissue collapses during sleep. Every time this occurs, the individual wakes up for a moment. Thus, sleep quality is very poor and can result in heart disease, increased blood pressure, memory problems, and other difficulties.
