Influence of Fixed Orthodontic Therapy on Pharyngeal Airway Dimensions after Correction of Class-I, -II and -III Skeletal Profiles in Adolescents

• Main Authors: Yara Al Senani, Al Jouharah Al Shammery, Abeer Al Nafea, Nisreen Al Absi, Omar Al Kadhi, Deema Al-Shammery
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-01-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: airway management; cephalometry; orthodontic appliances; fixed; pharynx
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/2/517

The aim was to compare the influence of fixed orthodontic therapy (OT) on the pharyngeal airway space dimensions after correction of class-I, -II and -III skeletal profiles and among untreated adolescent patients. A control group comprising of untreated patients was also included. Demographics and OT-related information was retrieved from patients’ records. Measurements of airway spaces in the nasopharynx, oropharynx and hypopharynx were performed on lateral cephalograms. <i>p</i>-values under 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The results showed no statistically significant differences in the naso-, oro- and hypo-pharyngeal airway spaces among patients with class-I, -II and -III skeletal profiles and individuals in the control group. There were no statistically significant differences when naso-, oro- and hypo-pharyngeal airway spaces were compared among patients with class-I, -II and -III skeletal profiles. In conclusion, in non-extraction cases without maxillary expansion, fixed OT does not affect the naso-, oro- and hypo-pharyngeal airway spaces in patients with skeletal Class-I, -II and -III skeletal profiles. Further studies involving patients undergoing ME and premolar extraction are needed to elucidate the influence of fixed OT on the naso-, oro- and hypo-pharyngeal airway spaces.