Two-dimensional and three-dimensional assessment of the upper airway / Evaluación bidimensional y tridimensional de la vía aérea superior

The aim of this study was to validate and correlate the two-dimensional (2D) with the three-dimensional (3D) measures of the upper airway assessment. Lateral cephalograms and cone beam CT of 100 adult subjects were used to perform a 2D and 3D assessment of the upper airway. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to determine whether there was correlation between variables. Additionally, specificity, sensitivity, negative predictive value and positive predictive value was calculated for the 2D assessment of the upper airway. Correlation between all two and three dimensional variables was found. In the nasopharynx and oropharynx, a weak correlation (r <0.51) was found; in the oropharynx a moderate one (0.50

El objetivo de este estudio fue validar y correlacionar las medidas bidimensionales (2D) con las medidas tridimensionales (3D) de la evaluación de las vías aéreas superiores. Se realizaron cefalogramas laterales y cone beam CT en 100 sujetos adultos para realizar una evaluación 2D y 3D de la vía aérea superior. Se utilizó el coeficiente de correlación de Spearman para determinar si había correlación entre las variables. Además, para la evaluación 2D de la vía aérea superior, se calculó la especificidad, sensibilidad, valor predictivo negativo y valor predictivo positivo. Se encontró correlación en todas las variables entre dos y tres dimensiones. En la nasofaringe y la orofaringe, se encontró una correlación débil (r <0,51) mientras que en la orofaringe moderada (0,50

Adenoid hypertrophy and open bite

Aim: To evaluate if the constricted airway passage, measured by the nasopharyngeal (NP) and oropharyngeal (OP) width, has a correlation to anterior open bite. Methods: Lateral cephalometric radiographs of 43 patients with anterior open bite (26 with mixed dentition and 17 with permanent dentition) and 30 patients with overbite (15 with mixed dentition and 15 with permanent dentition) were obtained from de Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro for examination. Eight patients with syndromes were excluded from study. Cephalometric measurements were carried out using Dolphin Imaging & Management SolutionsTM software (Chatsworth, CA, USA). Measures of NP and OP were evaluated according to the McNamara’s soft tissue analysis and were correlated with the presence of open bite or overbite. Student’s t test and chi-square were used to assess statistical differences in continuous and dichotomic variables, respectively. Kruskal-Wallis test was employed to compare multiple variables. Results: Open bite patients showed significant decreased mean NP and OP values compared to overbite patients. Lack of labial seal was observed in all open bite patients. When patients with mixed and permanent dentitions were analyzed separately, the mean NP value was still significantly smaller in the open bite group. However, the mean OP values were smaller in the open bite group in both dentitions analysis, but were not statistically different. Conclusions: All patients with anterior open bite had reduced NP and OP measures compared to overbite patients, in spite of dentition.