Study of relationship between craniofacial morphology and pharyngeal airway space by means of cephalometry

Abstract

This study evaluated the relation between the craniofacial morphology and the pharyngeal airway space diameter, by means of cephalometry. It were taken lateral cephalometric radiographs of fifty two volunteers (18-28 years old), in natural head posture. Linear and angular measurements regarding craniofacial morphology and pharyngeal airway space were taken. The pharyngeal diameters behind the soft palate and behind the tongue presented significant relation with several facial morphology characteristics, mainly with the intermaxilary length and with the growth axis. The pharyngeal space variable that presented strongest relation with the facial skeleton was the diameter behind the tongue, which presented strongest relation with the intermaxilary length and the growth axis.