Comparison of upper and lower pharyngeal airway dimensions in vertically high angle orthodontic patients with different sagittal skeletal pattern

Verda Ahmad Khan; Syeda Rabbab Hassan; Alvina Shahid Malik; Zainab Niazi; Eshfa Khalil; Shumaila Raheem

Comparison of upper and lower pharyngeal airway dimensions in vertically high angle orthodontic patients with different sagittal skeletal pattern

Authors

Verda Ahmad Khan BDS; Orthodontics Resident, Islamabad Medical and Dental College.
Syeda Rabbab Hassan BDS, FCPS; Assistant Professor Orthodontics, HBS Medical and Dental College.
Alvina Shahid Malik BDS; Orthodontics Resident, Islamabad Medical and Dental College.
Zainab Niazi BDS, MPhil; Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Pathology, Islamabad Medical and Dental College.
Eshfa Khalil BDS; House Officer, Islamabad Medical and Dental College.
Shumaila Raheem BDS; House Officer, Islamabad Medical and Dental College.

Keywords:

Airway measurement, cephalometry, upper airway

Abstract

Introduction: Different skeletal and vertical patterns can influence the upper and lower airway linear dimensions. A short or retrognathic mandible can lead to a decreased airway while a long and prognathic mandible will have the opposite effect. The aim of this study was to measure the upper and lower airway in vertically high angle adult patients and compare the results among the different skeletal classes.

Material and methods: Lateral cephalograms were taken to measure the upper and lower airway dimensions with the help of a scale. The upper airway was measured from the point on posterior wall of the soft palate up to the point on posterior pharyngeal wall. The lower airway was measured from the point where the lower border of the mandible intersects the posterior border of the tongue to the point on the posterior pharyngeal wall. Only adult patients with a vertically high angle were included in the study. The upper and lower airway dimensions were compared among the three sagittal skeletal patterns.

Results: One-way Anova test was applied to compare the upper and lower airway dimensions among the three groups. Statistically insignificant difference was found among the groups with a p value of 0.67 and 0.94 for the upper and lower airway, respectively.

Conclusions: Upper and lower airway showed no significant difference among Classes I, II and III in subjects with a vertical high angle.