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. 2022 Aug 1;22(1):320.
doi: 10.1186/s12903-022-02355-3.

Three-dimensional evaluation of pharyngeal airway and maxillary arch in mouth and nasal breathing children with skeletal Class I and II

Janvier Habumugisha  1   2 , Shu-Yu Ma  1   2 , Amin S Mohamed  1   2 , Bo Cheng  1   2 , Min-Yue Zhao  1   2 , Wen-Qing Bu  1   2 , Yu-Cheng Guo  1   2 , Rui Zou  3   4 , Fei Wang  5   6
Affiliations

Three-dimensional evaluation of pharyngeal airway and maxillary arch in mouth and nasal breathing children with skeletal Class I and II

Janvier Habumugisha et al. BMC Oral Health. .

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether the subjects with mouth breathing (MB) or nasal breathing (NB) with different sagittal skeletal patterns showed different maxillary arch and pharyngeal airway characteristics.

Methods: Cone-beam computed tomography scans from 70 children aged 10 to 12 years with sagittal skeletal Classes I and II were used to measure the pharyngeal airway, maxillary width, palatal area, and height. The independent t-test and the Mann-Whitney U test were used for the intragroup analysis of pharyngeal airway and maxillary arch parameters.

Results: In the Skeletal Class I group, nasopharyngeal airway volume (P < 0.01), oropharyngeal airway volume (OPV), and total pharyngeal airway volume (TPV) (all P < 0.001) were significantly greater in subjects with NB than in those with MB. Furthermore, intermolar width, maxillary width at the molars, intercanine width, maxillary width at the canines, and palatal area were significantly larger in subjects with NB than in those with MB (all P < 0.001). In the Skeletal Class II group, OPV, TPV (both P < 0.05) were significantly greater in subjects with NB than in those with MB. No significant differences in pharyngeal airway parameters in the MB group between subjects with Skeletal Class I and those with Skeletal Class II.

Conclusion: Regardless of sagittal Skeletal Class I or II, the pharyngeal airway and maxillary arch in children with MB differ from those with NB. However, the pharyngeal airway was not significantly different between Skeletal Class I and II in children with MB.

Keywords: Cone-beam computed tomography; Maxilla; Mouth breathing; Pharynx.

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Conflict of interest statement

None to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Orientation of an i-CAT image for airway measurement. A Frontal view; B right sagittal view
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Landmarks for the pharyngeal airway. A boundary of the OPV; B oropharyngeal airway volume; C boundary of the NPV; D nasopharyngeal airway volume
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Schematic diagrams of maxillary arch measurements. A MWM; B IMW and PH; C PA; D MWC and ICW
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Differences in the pharyngeal airway and maxillary arch by groups. A Comparison of MB and NB in the skeletal Class I group; B comparison of MB and NB in the skeletal Class II group; C comparison of subjects with skeletal Classes I and II in the MB group; D comparison of skeletal Classes I and II in the NB group
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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