Sleep-breathing Orthodontic Clinic    >   About us   >   Sleep-breathing Orthodontic Clinic

'Sleep-breathing Orthodontic Clinic'

Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), as the common types of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB),

have increasingly caught the attention of dentists and orthodontists since they became greater public health issues than ever.

Snoring occurs when the air passes through narrow airways and vibrates the surrounding structures.

Approximately 5-10 % of people with snoring experience OSA,

which does not end only with narrowing airways but stops airflow for more than 10 seconds during sleep.

The causes of this sleep apnea include increased tissue around the airway and abnormalities in the facial skeleton structure, 

which can be accurately diagnosed and treated at the "Sleep Breathing Orthodontic Clinic" in our department.

The Sleep Breathing Orthodontic Clinic operates a multi-disciplinary team with otolaryngologists and neurologists in Kyung Hee Medical Center, 

which is leading the study on orthodontic treatment protocols for sleep apnea patients. 

The demand of sleep-related orthodontics is driven by the need of increasing patients who are aware of OSA.

It is time to expand our aims and scopes towards preventing and managing 

the sleep or respiratory functional problems simultaneously with correcting facial, skeletal, and dental problems.