A Cephalometric Evaluation of Airway Space in Skeletal Class II Subjects
Shreya S. Iyengar *
Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Krishnadevaraya College of Dental Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
B. S. Chandrashekar
Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Krishnadevaraya College of Dental Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
P. C. Ramesh Kumar
Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Krishnadevaraya College of Dental Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Vinay P. Reddy
Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Krishnadevaraya College of Dental Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
C. M. Mahesh
Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Krishnadevaraya College of Dental Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Balamohan Shetty
Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Krishnadevaraya College of Dental Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Abhishek Sundara
Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Krishnadevaraya College of Dental Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims and Objectives: To study the correlation of 1. pharyngeal airway space and skeletal class I and II malocclusions and 2. pharyngeal airway space and growth pattern using lateral cephalograms
Materials and Methods: 60 pre-treatment lateral cephalograms of untreated skeletal class I and class II patients were traced using 0.003 inch matte acetate sheets. The subjects were divided into skeletal class I (ANB 0º-4º) and class II (ANB >4º) based on ANB angles. Each group was further divided into three sub groups based on mandibular plane angle. (SN-GoGn <26º-low angle, SN-GoGn 26º-38º-normal angle and SN-GoGn >38º-high angle).
Results: Nasopharyngeal airway space decreased from low angle to normal to high angle. The upper airway was wider in Class II subjects with low, normal or vertical growth than in Class I subjects with low, normal or vertical growth. The lower pharyngeal airway did not have any correlation with the type of malocclusion or the growth pattern.
Conclusion: Thus, it can be concluded that malocclusion type (skeletal Class I or Class II) as well as growth pattern (normal, horizontal and vertical) influence upper pharyngeal airway width, and both do not influence the lower pharyngeal airway width.
Keywords: Upper airway, lower airway, Class I, Class II, vertical growers, horizontal growers