Analysis of pharyngeal airway space and tongue position in individuals with different body types and facial patterns: A cephalometric study

Abstract

Human beings are normally nasal breathers. The nasal and the oral cavities serve as pathways for respiratory airflow, however in some individuals due to nasal airway inadequacy or habit; the oral cavity becomes the predominant route for the respiratory airflow. [1] Changes in the dimensions of the respiratory tract that is, constriction can cause a decrease in airflow at times. [2] There are significant relationships between the pharyngeal dimensions and craniofacial abnormalities. [3] Literature supports the notion that mandibular deficiency is frequently associated with a narrower pharyngeal airway passage. [4] Using computed tomography (CT), Trenouth and Timms [5] found that the effects of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) on the nasal cavity are not uniform and the changes in the nasal dimensions are progressively less toward the back of the nasal cavity. Mean cross-sectional nasal cavity enlargements of between 1.4 and 4 mm for rapid expansion, 0.8 mm for a quad helix, and 0.5 mm for a removable appliance have been reported. [6,7] According to Saitoh, [8] the growth of the face (excluding the mandible) is completed at a relatively early age. Sixty percent of craniofacial development takes place during the first 4 years of life and 90% by age 12. Based on these observations, any intervention to open the airway must take place at an early

Teleroentgenometric parameters of the soft palate in young men and young women with an orthognathic bite without and taking into account the type of face

“…Works on the study of the relationship between the parameters of the soft palate and other structures of the human body are quite few in the scientific literature. Thus, Kulshrestha R. and co-authors [12] found significant differences for the value of the angle of inclination of the soft palate in groups with hypo-and hyperdivergent patterns of facial growth (p<0.003).…”

Velopharyngeal and Glossopharyngeal Volume Changes after Implant Anchored Maxillary Expansion

“…Little studies pay attention to the effect of changes in tongue position on the pharyngeal airway volume. (32,33) Despite that limited evidence was found between upper pharyngeal airway and head position (32) . On the other hand Ono et al 2000 (34) with the use of magnetic resonance image studied the effects of head positions on the volume of the pharyngeal airway and found that a significant increase in volume of the pharyngeal retro-glossal region when the patient rotated his head.…”