A study to measure nasopharyngeal airway space in different facial morphological patterns between both genders

Abstract

Background: Studies in the past have assessed relation between airway and type of malocclusion and found no association between rhinomanometric measures of airway adequacy and type of malocclusion or craniofacial morphology. Hence, the present study was undertaken to test whether there is any association between pharyngeal airway and type of malocclusion. Materials and Methods: The subjects were divided into three groups based on skeletal pattern with 20 subjects in each group: Group 1 with Class I skeletal pattern, Group 2 with Class II skeletal pattern, and Group 3 with Class III skeletal pattern. All the cephalograms were taken in natural head position. Results: When compared between males and females among these groups, significant differences were observed in Group 1 in the following parameters: lower airway thickness (PNS-Ba), upper airway thickness (PNS-AD2), and upper airway thickness (PNS-H), and the total nasopharyngeal area was more in males than in females and differences were statistically significant. Conclusion: It was concluded that significant differences were observed in Group 1 in the following parameters: lower airway thickness (PNS-Ba), upper airway thickness (PNS-AD2), and upper airway thickness (PNS-H), and the total nasopharyngeal area was more in males than in females and differences were statistically significant.