Title: Evaluation of Pharyngeal Airway Space and Hyoid Bone Position in Different Skeletal Patterns: A Radiographic Study

Authors: Dr Kalyani Shriniwas Chatla, Dr Sunilkumar Pulluri, Dr Sneha Hoshing, Dr Akash Lavate, Dr Sneha Shinde, Dr Neha Deshmukh

 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v10i5.15

Abstract

Introduction

The postural relationships of the head, jaws, and tongue, which are established shortly after birth with the opening of the airway, change throughout life to satisfy physiological needs and to keep the airway open(1). The intimate anatomical and functional proximity of craniofacial and upper respiratory structures influences the facial and dental growth. A healthy respiratory function is essential for the harmonious growth and development of the maxillofacial structures(2).

The upper airway is a crucial structure that supports breathing, one of the most important functions of the human body, and there has been evidence of a close relationship between the pharyngeal structures and both dentofacial and craniofacial features(3).

The past few decades have noticed a renewed interest in the interaction between form and function in craniofacial region. The growth and function of the nasal cavities, the nasopharynx, and the oropharynx are closely associated with the normal growth of skull(4). The pharynx and dentofacial structures have a strong association, and mutual interaction is expected between pharyngeal structures and dentofacial pattern. As a result, there is a difference in size and position of soft and hard tissue components of the upper airway in different skeletal patterns.

A significant relationship exists between airway space and facial morphology, also airway space may be affected by conditions such as functional anterior shifting, head posture, sagittal skeletal relation, and maxillary protraction(5).

Skeletal features such as retrognathic maxilla and mandible and vertical maxillary excess in hyperdivergent patients may lead to narrower anteroposterior dimensions of the airway. On the other hand, the oropharyngeal airway has been claimed to affect the growth of craniofacial structures(6)(7)(8).

Linder Aronson postulated that mouth breathers tip their heads backward in an attempt to increase their airway(9).

References

  1. Shelton RL, Bosma JF. Maintenance of the pharyngeal airway. J Appl Physiol. 1962;17:209–14.
  2. Cooper B. Nasorespiratory function and orofacial development. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 1989;22(2):413–41.
  3. Kerr WJ. The nasopharynx, face height, and overbite. Angle Orthod. 1985;55(1):31–6.
  4. Ansar J, Maheshwari S, Verma SK, Singh RK, Agarwal DK, Bhattacharya P. Soft tissue airway dimensions and craniocervical posture in subjects with different growth patterns. Angle Orthod. 2015;85(4):604–10.
  5. Ucar FI, Uysal T. Orofacial airway dimensions in subjects with Class I malocclusion and different growth patterns. Angle Orthod. 2011;81(3):460–8.
  6. Lowe AA, Ono T, Ferguson KA, Pae EK, Ryan CF, Fleetham JA. Cephalometric comparisons of craniofacial and upper airway structure by skeletal subtype and gender in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 1996;110(6):653–64.
  7. Malkoc S, Usumez S, Nur M, Donaghy CE. Reproducibility of airway dimensions and tongue and hyoid positions on lateral cephalograms. Am J Orthod Dentofac Orthop. 2005;128(4):513–6.
  8. de Freitas MR, Alcazar NMPV, Janson G, de Freitas KMS, Henriques JFC. Upper and lower pharyngeal airways in subjects with Class I and Class II malocclusions and different growth patterns. Am J Orthod Dentofac Orthop. 2006;130(6):742–5.
  9. Graber LW, Vanarsdall RL, Vig KWL. Orthodontics : Current principles and techniques. 5th ed. Elsevier/Mosby; 2012.
  10. Jena AK, Duggal R. Hyoid bone position in subjects with different vertical jaw dysplasias. Angle Orthod. 2011;81(1):83–7.
  11. Aboudara C, Nielsen I, Huang JC, Maki K, Miller AJ, Hatcher D. Comparison of airway space with conventional lateral headfilms and 3-dimensional reconstruction from cone-beam computed tomography. Am J Orthod Dentofac Orthop. 2009;135 (4):468–79.
  12. Stratemann S, Huang JC, Maki K, Hatcher D, Miller AJ. Three-dimensional analysis of the airway with cone-beam computed tomography. Am J Orthod Dentofac Orthop. 2011;140(5):607–15.
  13. Cheng JH, Hsiao SY, Chen CM, Hsu KJ. Relationship between hyoid bone and pharyngeal airway in different skeletal patterns. J Dent Sci. 2020;15(3):286–93.
  14. Alves M, Franzotti ES, Baratieri C, Nunes LKF, Nojima LI, Ruellas ACO. Evaluation of pharyngeal airway space amongst different skeletal patterns. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2012;41(7):814–9.
  15. Brul E Du. Sicher’s oral anatomy. 7th ed. St Louis: Mosby; 1980. 7–141 p.
  16. N. Ten cate’s oral histology: development, structure, and function. 8th ed. St Louis: Mosby; 2012. 35–41 p.
  17. Opdebeeck H, Bell WH, Eisenfeld J, Mishelevich D. Comparative study between the SFS and LFS rotation as a possible morphogenic mechanism. Am J Orthod. 1978;74(5):509–21.
  18. Yamaoka M, Furusawa K, Uematsu T, Okafuji N, Kayamoto D, Kurihara S. Relationship of the hyoid bone and posterior surface of the tongue in prognathism and micrognathia. J Oral Rehabil. 2003;30(9):914–20.
  19. Battagel JM, Johal A, L’Estrange RR, Croft CB, Kotecha B. Changes in airway and hyoid position in response to mandibular protrusion in subjects with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Eur J Orthod. 1999;21(4):363–76.
  20. Adamidis IP, Spyropoulos MN. Hyoid bone position and orientation in Class I and Class III malocclusions. Am J Orthod Dentofac Orthop. 1992;101(4):308–12.
  21. Mortazavi S, Asghari-Moghaddam H, Dehghani M, Aboutorabzade M, Yaloodbardan B, Tohidi E, et al. Hyoid bone position in different facial skeletal patterns. J Clin Exp Dent. 2018;10(4):346–51.
  22. Chauhan R, Bagga DK, Agrawal P, Kalra H, Kumar P, Singh A. Radiographic Evaluation of the Hyoid Bone Position and Pharyngeal Airway Depth in Anteroposterior Dysplasia. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2019;12(2):101–6.

Corresponding Author

Dr Kalyani Shriniwas Chatla

Postgraduate Student, Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Dental College, Kegaon, Solapur