Pharyngeal airway analysis of different craniofacial morphology using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) / 대한치과교정학회지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: CBCT has become popular for orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning in recent times. The 3D pharyngeal airway space needs to be analysed using a 3D diagnostic tool. The aim of this study was to analyse the pharyngeal airway of different craniofacial morphology using CBCT. METHODS: The sample compromised 102 subjects divided into 3 groups (Class I, II, III) and 6 subgroups according to normal or vertical craniofacial patterns. All samples had CBCT (VCT, Vatech, Seoul, Korea) taken for orthodontic treatment. The pharyngeal airway was assessed according to the reference planes aa plane (the most anterior point on the anterior arch of atlas), CV2 plane, and CV3 plane (most infero-anterior point on the body of the second & third cervical vertebra). The intergroup comparison was performed with one-way ANOVA and duncan test as a second step. RESULTS: The results showed the pharyngeal airway and anteroposterior width of group 2 (Class II) in aa plane, CV2 plane, CV3 plane were significant narrower than in group 3 (Class III). There was no significant difference between vertical and normal craniofacial patterns except for the anteroposterior pharyngeal width of Group 1 (Class I) in aa plane. CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with Class II patterns have a significantly narrower pharyngeal airway than those with Class III. However there was no difference in pharyngeal airway between vertical and normal craniofacial morphology.