Cephalometric appraisal of the effects of orthodontic treatment on total airway dimensions in adolescents.

AIM: This retrospective study was performed to rule out any jeopardizing effect of extraction therapy of four first premolars on airway at any level of its anatomic course.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Lateral cephalograms of 50 adolescent patients divided into two groups of 25 each, based on orthodontic treatment by first premolar extraction as group I and without extraction as group II, were selected for the study. 13 angular and 11 linear measurements were compared pre-and post-treatment via statistical analyses using SPSS (Version 17.5, SPSS, Chicago) software. Paired 't' tests were used to assess the variability. P-value < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

RESULTS

Comparison of angular parameters showed that the average percentage (%) change in SNA, SNB, ANB, IMPA, FMA, saddle, articulare, gonial, total angle and hyoid did not differ significantly across two study groups (P > 0.05), but values of UI/LI, UI/NA, LI/NB, differed significantly among both groups. Similarly, linear parameters showed that the average % change in nasopharyngeal airway space (NAS) and width of soft palate differed significantly across two study groups (P-value<0.05), whereas the average % change in posterior airway space (PAS), hypopharyngeal airway space (HAS), hyoid distance and length of tongue did not differ significantly (P-value>0.05). However, no significant differences were observed during intragroup and intergroup comparisons of the combined angular and linear measurements of both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Present study showed no significant change on airway after therapeutic orthodontic tooth movement with or without extraction treatment.