Orthodontic Perspectives in the Interdisciplinary Management of Paediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

Pediatric obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a highly prevalent, multifactorial, and often under-diagnosed condition with significant consequences for cognitive and behavioral development. Early detection and timely multidisciplinary interventions are essential, particularly in children with craniofacial anomalies or syndromes associated with increased OSA risks, to prevent long-term complications. This narrative review explores the orthodontists’ role in the interdiscipli-nary management of pediatric OSA, focusing on early screening for craniofacial risk factors and implementing interceptive orthodontic interventions that support favorable airway develop-ment and growth modulation. Through early and frequent interaction with pediatric patients, orthodontists are well-positioned to identify clinical signs of airway-related abnormalities and craniofacial risk factors such as mandibular and maxillary retrognathism, maxillary constriction, and high-arched palatal vaults. Orthodontic interventions such as rapid maxillary expansion (RME), mandibular advancement, and myofunctional therapy may improve airway patency in selected cases. These approaches should be coordinated and integrated within the multidiscipli-nary team, including orthodontists, pediatricians, sleep medicine specialists, ENT specialists, and speech pathologists. Furthermore, caregivers’ involvement and patients’ compliance are keys to success. Despite encouraging clinical observations, current evidence is limited by heterogeneity and a lack of long-term outcome data. Future research should prioritize prospective trials, standardized diagnostic protocols, and evaluations of combined therapeutic approaches, as well as prevention and early screening. Integrating orthodontists into early OSA care is essential for optimizing outcomes and reducing long-term morbidity.