title: Predicting the pharyngeal airway space after mandibular setback surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to propose a mathematical model to predict the change in pharyngeal airway space (PAS) associated with mandibular setback surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three female adults, who were diagnosed as having skeletal Class III deformity, underwent mandibular setback surgery by bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (BSSO) and orthodontic multibracket treatment. The subjects were assessed within 6 months before operation (T1) and 1 to 1.5 years after mandibular setback surgery (T2). The PAS change in the level of the base of the tongue was predicted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The equation is: PAS narrowing = 0.386 - 0.541 ANB (T1 - T2) + 0.253 Co-Gn (T1 - T2) - 0.098 SN-GoGn (T1 - T2), where ANB is the angle formed by the planes nasion-point A and nasion-point B, Co is condylion, Go is gonion, and Gn is gnathion. The PAS change can be predicted by the mandibular changes after setback surgery 66.2% with the regression equation using the change of the ANB angle, the total mandibular length (Co-Gn) and the mandibular plane (SN-GoGn), where SN is sella-nasion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The equation can be used to predict the change of pharyngeal airway space after mandibular setback surgery. In patients who have other risk factors, such as obesity, short neck, macroglossia, large uvula, and excessive soft tissue around the nasopharyngeal region, a mandibular setback surgery could possibly predispose to the development of sleep apnea syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthodontics, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, 1-574 Asahimachi-Dori, Niigata 951, Japan.
authors.forename: Fengshan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kazuto
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Terada
authors.forename: Kooji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hanada
authors.forename: Isao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Saito
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D000465:Algorithms; D002508:Cephalometry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000601:surgery*; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery*; D008954:Models, Biological; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D010614:Pharynx / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014059:Tongue / Q000033:anatomy & histology