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. 2011 May;81(3):460-8.
doi: 10.2319/091910-545.1. Epub 2011 Feb 7.

Orofacial airway dimensions in subjects with Class I malocclusion and different growth patterns

Faruk Izzet Ucar  1 , Tancan Uysal
Affiliations

Orofacial airway dimensions in subjects with Class I malocclusion and different growth patterns

Faruk Izzet Ucar et al. Angle Orthod. 2011 May.

Abstract

Objective: To test the null hypotheses that there are no significant differences in craniofacial structures and orofacial airway dimensions in subjects with Class I malocclusion and different growth patterns.

Materials and methods: Lateral cephalometric radiographs of 31 low angle (mean age, 14.0 ± 2.0 years; range, 10.3-16.5 years), 40 high angle (mean age, 12.7 ± 1.6 years; range, 10.1-16.2 years), and 33 normal growth (mean age, 13.9 ± 1.3 years; range, 11.2-16.8 years) subjects with Class I malocclusion were examined. In total, 34 measurements (27 craniofacial and 7 orofacial airways) were evaluated. Groups were constituted according to the SN-MP angle. Group differences were analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Tukey test, at the P < .05 level.

Results: According to ANOVA, only 5 of the 27 craniofacial measurements showed no statistically significant differences among different growth patterns. For orofacial airway measurements, statistically significant differences were found in nasopharyngeal airway space (P < .01), palatal tongue space (P < .05), upper posterior airway space (PAS) (P < .05), and tongue gap (P < .001). No statistically significant orofacial airway differences were determined between low angle and normal growth subjects. High angle subjects had a larger tongue gap than those with normal and low angles (P < .01). Additionally, nasopharyngeal airway space (P < .01) and upper PAS (P < .05) measurements were larger and palatal tongue space (P < .05) was narrower in low angle than in high angle subjects.

Conclusions: The null hypotheses were rejected. Significant differences in craniofacial morphology and orofacial airway dimensions of Class I subjects with different growth patterns were identified.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Landmarks and reference lines used for orofacial airway space: Pt (pterygoid point), the posterior point of the pterygopalatine fossa; ANS (anterior nasal spine), anterior point of the maxilla; PNS (posterior nasal spine), posterior point of the palatine bone; Me (Menton), the inferior point of the symphysis; H1, intersection between the posterior border of the tongue and the hyoid bone; H2, the most anterior point of the hyoid bone; T, the most anterior point of the outline of the tongue; palatal plane, a line passing through the ANS and PNS.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(1) SNA; (2) SNB; (3) ANB; (4) SN-Ar; (5) articular angle; and (6) Ar-Go/MP.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(7) SN-MP; (8) PP-GoGn; (9) Y-Axis; (10) SN-Npog; (11) NA-Apog; (12) FMA; (13) FMIA; (14) IMPA; and (15) MP-OP.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(1) A to N perp; (2) Pog to N perp; (3) S-N; (4) S-Ar; (5) Ar-Go; (6) Go-Gn; (7) NGo; (8) S-Gn; (9) posterior facial height; and (10) anterior facial height.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Nasopharyngeal airway space: formed by palatal plane and the Pt-PNS posterior nasopharyngeal line. Palate-tongue space: space between tongue and palate from the line perpendicular to the palatal plane at the incisive foramen to the line perpendicular to the palatal plane at the PNS. Tongue space: area formed by superior and posterior borders of the tongue and T, Me, H1, and H2.
Figure 6
Figure 6
(5) Upper posterior airway space; (6) lower posterior airway space; (7) tonsil size; and (8) tongue gap.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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