Korean J Orthod.  2009 Jun;39(3):168-176. 10.4041/kjod.2009.39.3.168.

The relationship between upper airway width and facial growth changes in orthodontic treatment of growing children

• Kim YJ
• Bok GS
• Lee KH
• Hwang YI
• Park YH

• KMID: 2273211
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4041/kjod.2009.39.3.168

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate how airway changes influence facial growth during puberty in Korean children.
METHODS
Thirty-six patients aged 9 to 11 (mean age: 10.7 years) were selected. Cephalograms and hand-wrist x-rays were taken at pre-treatment (T1) and post-treatment (T2). The sample was divided into narrow (5.2 - 8.6 mm, AW-Narrow), medium (8.9 - 11.5 mm, AW-Medium), and wide (11.7 - 16.0 mm, AW-Wide) groups according to the airway width at T1. Cephalometric measurements at T1, T2 and growth from T1 to T2 were compared between groups.
RESULTS
The degree of increase in airway size in each group was 4.55 mm, 3.84 mm and 1.94 mm in the AW-Narrow, AW-Medium, and AW-Wide groups, respectively. Moreover, the differences were statistically significant. The significant smallest posterior facial height was found in the AW-Narrow group at T1. For the growth values from T1 to T2, the AW-Narrow group showed significantly larger values of PFH/AFH, facial axis, ANS (T1 - T2), and Gn (T1 - T2) than the AW-Medium group.
CONCLUSIONS
The compensational changes in the airway width and facial growth were found in the narrow group. Surgical approach of the airway to prevent unfavorable facial growth in these years of age should be carried out, but with careful deliberation because these problems may be improved naturally.

Keyword

Airway; Facial growth; Pubertal growth; Posterior facial height (PFH)

MeSH Terms

Aged
Axis, Cervical Vertebra
Child
Humans
Puberty

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 A and B, Airway width, anteroposterior measurements and cervical vertebral maturation by the concavity depth of the 4th cervical vertebra19 used in this study. 1. Upper airway width: The shortest distance between the posterior border of the soft palate and anterior border of adenoid; 2. A point-N perpend: distance from point A to the line perpendicular to FH plane passing through nasion; 3. N-A-Pog angle: angle formed by nasion, A point and pogonion; 4. Pog-N perpend: distance from pogonion to the line perpendicular to FH plane passing through nasion; 5. Facial Axis: angle formed by N-Ba line and Gn-Pt line; 6. Anterior facial height (AFH): distance between nasion and menton; 7. Posterior facial height (PFH): distance between sella and gonion; 8. PFH/AFH: ratio of PFH to AFH; 9. FMA: angle formed by FH plane and mandibular plane. C, Superimposition of lateral cephalograms taken between T1 (Initial) and T2 (Debonding) show the direction of growth of maxilla and mandible. 10. Angle between N-Ba line and the direction of growth of Gn; 11. Angle between N-Ba line and the direction of growth of ANS; 12. Angle between the direction lines of ANS(s) and Gn(s).

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