ABSTRACT
Aims & objectives: To determine the mean of upper & lower pharyngeal airway widths in different skeletal malocclusions using lateral cephalograms, which would be very useful in the early detection of nasopharyngeal constriction which may lead to sleep apnea & other related disorders. Materials & Methods: 90 lateral cephalograms of the age group of 18 to 25 years were retrieved from our radiology records, of which 30 were of class I malocclusion, 30 were of class II and 30 class III & those devoid of any pharyngeal pathology. Methodology: The lateral cephalograms are traced & upper & lower pharyngeal airway widths are measured by using Mc. Namara airway analysis. Results: In class I, the mean for upper pharyngeal airway width is 13.33 mm & that of lower is 10.21 mm. In class II, upper is 12.93 mm & lower is 10.05 mm. For class III, upper is 15.64 mm & that of the lower is 13.76 mm. Conclusion: The data provides preliminary details of upper airway assessment in normal individuals with different (Class I, Class II, Class III) malocclusions. Further correlations can be drawn with the studies comparing airway dimensions in normal individuals and in subjects with sleep-related disorders.
KEYWORDS:Pharyngeal airway, Skeletal malocclusions, Lateral cephalograms.