Abstract
Objectives: To investigate the influence of orthodontic treatment on pharyngeal airway size and position of hyoid bone in patients treated with extraction of all first premolars. Materials and Methods: Pre- and post-treatment lateral cephalograms of twenty patients were obtained, and cephalometric analysis was done to assess skeletal and dental changes, airway dimensions, and hyoid bone position using 17 linear and 4 angular measurements. Results: All the readings were statistically analyzed using paired t -test. Change in nasopharyngeal airway size was not statistically significant. However, airway size was reduced significantly at soft palate (SPP-SPPW) by 7.4%, at uvula (U-MPW) by 19.2%, at tongue (TB-TPPW) by 20.8%, and at the base of tongue (V-LPW) by 13.2%. The analyzed linear measurements showed relocation of hyoid bone in an inferior direction. Simple linear correlation analysis revealed positive correlation between incisor retraction and airway size. Conclusions: There was a significant narrowing of pharyngeal airway behind soft palate, uvula, and at the base of the tongue following retraction. There is a change in the position of the hyoid bone in an inferior direction as an adaptation preventing an encroachment of the tongue into the pharyngeal airway.
Published Version
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