title: Soft tissue airway dimensions and craniocervical posture in subjects with different growth patterns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the dimensions of the nasopharynx and oropharynx of subjects with different growth patterns and to determine whether any correlation exists with their craniocervical posture.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cephalometric radiograph of 60 subjects (16-25 years old), taken in natural head position, were divided into three groups according to the mandibular plane angle: hypodivergent (SN/MP <26°), normodivergent (SN/MP 26°-38°), and hyperdivergent (SN/MP <38°). Correlations were calculated between nasopharyngeal area, oropharyngeal area, and craniocervical posture. Continuous variables were compared by one-way analysis of variance, and the significance of mean difference between the groups was done by the Tukey post hoc test. A value of P < .05 was considered statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in the hyperdivergent group were found to have significantly smaller nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal areas than the other groups (P < .001 and P < .05, respectively). Similarly, the oropharyngeal area in the normodivergent group was significantly smaller than that in the hypodivergent group (P < .05). However, no significant differences were found in the nasopharyngeal area between the hypodivergent and normodivergent groups and between the hyperdivergent and normodivergent groups (P > .05). Reduced pharyngeal airways were typically seen in patients with a large craniocervical angle and a large mandibular inclination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smaller nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal airways were seen in connection with a large craniocervical and a large mandibular inclination. We therefore suggest that the vertical skeletal pattern may be one of the factors that contribute to nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal obstruction.
authors.affiliation: a  Senior lecturer, Department of Orthodontics, Institute of Dental sciences, Bareilly, India.
authors.forename: Juhi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ansar
authors.affiliation: b  Professor and Chairman, Department of Orthodontics and Dental Anatomy, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India.
authors.forename: Sandhya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maheshwari
authors.affiliation: c  Professor, Department of Orthodontics and Dental Anatomy, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India.
authors.forename: Sanjeev K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: d  Senior Lecturer, Department of Orthodontics, Sudha Rastogi Dental College, Faridabad, India.
authors.forename: Raj Kumar
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: e  Professor and Chairman, Department of Orthodontics, Institute of Dental Sciences, Bareilly, India.
authors.forename: Deepak K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.affiliation: f  Professor, Department of Orthodontics, Institute of Dental Sciences, Bareilly, India.
authors.forename: Preeti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible / Q000254:growth & development*; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D014716:Vertical Dimension; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cephalometry; Craniocervical posture; Growth pattern; Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal airway