Class II Division II Malocclusion Does Not Influence Upper Airway Length

Abstract

We recently received an inquiry from a reader regarding our article entitled “Cephalometric measurement of upper airway length correlates with the presence and severity of obstructive sleep apnea.” 1 Susarla S.M. Abramson Z.R. Dodson T.B. et al. Cephalometric measurement of upper airway length correlates with the presence and severity of obstructive sleep apnea. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2010; 68: 2846 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (58) Google Scholar The reader made the astute observation that, if there were a greater number of subjects without sleep apnea who had Class II Division II or “deep bite” malocclusions, the measurement of upper airway length could be potentially confounded by this factor. The reader's hypothesis was that a deep bite would be associated with a lower gonial angle, a more horizontally positioned mandible, and given the method of measuring upper airway length, an effectively shortened upper airway. Cephalometric Measurement of Upper Airway Length Correlates With the Presence and Severity of Obstructive Sleep ApneaJournal of Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeryVol. 68Issue 11PreviewThe purpose of this study was to measure upper airway length (UAL) on lateral cephalograms and to assess its relationship with the presence and severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Full-Text PDF