ABSTRACT
Objective@#To investigate dimensional changes in regional pharyngeal airway spaces after premolar extraction in bimaxillary skeletal protrusion (BSP) patients according to vertical skeletal pattern, and to further identify dentoskeletal risk factors to predict posttreatment pharyngeal changes. @*Methods@#Fiftyfive adults showing BSP treated with microimplant anchorage after four premolar extractions were included in this retrospective study. The subjects were divided into two groups according to the mandibular plane steepness: hyperdivergent (Frankfort horizontal plane to mandibular plane [FH-MP] ≥ 30) and nonhyperdivergent groups (FH-MP < 0.01). The upper airway variable representing greater decrease in the hyperdivergent group than in the nonhyperdivergent group was the MAS (p < 0.01). Posttreatment changes in FH-MP had negative correlation with changes in MAS (β = –0.42, p < 0.01) and inferior airway space (β = –0.52, p < 0.01) as a result of multivariable regression analysis adjusted for sagittal skeletal relationship. @*Conclusions@#Decreased pharyngeal dimensions after treatment in BSP patients showed no significant difference from the normal range of pharyngeal dimensions. However, the glossopharyngeal airway space may be susceptible to treatment when vertical dimension increased in hyperdivergent BSP patients.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#To investigate dimensional changes in regional pharyngeal airway spaces after premolar extraction in bimaxillary skeletal protrusion (BSP) patients according to vertical skeletal pattern, and to further identify dentoskeletal risk factors to predict posttreatment pharyngeal changes. @*Methods@#Fiftyfive adults showing BSP treated with microimplant anchorage after four premolar extractions were included in this retrospective study. The subjects were divided into two groups according to the mandibular plane steepness: hyperdivergent (Frankfort horizontal plane to mandibular plane [FH-MP] ≥ 30) and nonhyperdivergent groups (FH-MP < 0.01). The upper airway variable representing greater decrease in the hyperdivergent group than in the nonhyperdivergent group was the MAS (p < 0.01). Posttreatment changes in FH-MP had negative correlation with changes in MAS (β = –0.42, p < 0.01) and inferior airway space (β = –0.52, p < 0.01) as a result of multivariable regression analysis adjusted for sagittal skeletal relationship. @*Conclusions@#Decreased pharyngeal dimensions after treatment in BSP patients showed no significant difference from the normal range of pharyngeal dimensions. However, the glossopharyngeal airway space may be susceptible to treatment when vertical dimension increased in hyperdivergent BSP patients.