Cross-sectional and retrospective study regarding the changes in the spatial position of the hyoid bone and upper airways before and after orthodontic therapy in developing patients with normocclusion

ABSTRACT

Objective

The objective was to study the effect of orthodontic therapy regarding the position of the hyoid bone and upper airways in nighty-one 6–21 year-old Caucasian patients with normoclussion.

Methods

Nineteen variables were analyzed by teleradiography. The differences were analyzed with the ANOVA test of repeated measures with an intra-group factor for two occasions.

Results

The statistical analysis revealed a greater influence on the variables Hy-MP (12.3 vs 14.2), Hps-C3 (25.2 vs 28.1), Hpi-C3 (28.8 vs 35.5), H°-C3 (14.4 vs 12.7), Hps-Rg (36.0 vs 42.7), Hpi-Rg (34.1 vs 39.7), USP (16.2 vs 20.2), MPP (12.9 vs 14.8), C3P (10.6 vs 12.8), PNS-Ba (43.5 vs 66.5), PtV-Ad (12.0 vs 17.1) and PtM-Ba (33.9 vs 35.9), and Ad2-SO (24.16 vs 20.87).

Discussion

Significant differences were observed between most of the airway and hyoid bone variables before and after orthodontic treatment in our Spanish pediatric population, especially in the nasopharynx.

KEYWORDS:

• Hyoid bone
• airways
• lateral skull radiography
• orthodontic treatments
• skeletal patterns
• craniofacial development
• pediatric population

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Ortega and Mr. Santiago Cano for their involvement in the development of research in the field of dentistry

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.