Morphometric relationships between the upper respiratory tract and the craniofacial bone structures

Introduction. Morphological correlations of bone
structures of the facial skeleton and the cervical spine
with the upper respiratory tract (URT) have been the
topic of scientific studies carried out for some years
now. Correlations between URT morphology and the
age of the evaluated patients have been proven by
numerous studies. The literature shows that URT is
characterized by the occurrence of sexual dimorphism
in the evaluated individuals, along different age
groups. URT dimensions are also differentiated
depending on which of the three skeletal classes
a patient belongs to. Aim of the study. To design
multidimensional models, taking into account the
evaluated individuals’ age, sex and skeletal class
to describe morphological relations between the
oropharynx and laryngopharynx and the upper face
and the carotid vertebrae. Material and Methods. The
study comprised 229 persons and was a retrospective
one. The inclusion criteria were availability of lateral cephalometric radiographs (LCR) and information of
chronological age and gender of a patient. Excluded
from the study were individuals with the history of
orthodontic treatment, surgical procedures within head
and neck and patients with chilognathopalatoschisis.
Results. The statistical analysis performed pointed to
significant relations between the given dependent and
independent variables. Conclusions. In patients who
underwent orthognathic maxillary surgery, designing
management to preserve the position of maxilla and the
incisors should be considered. Also in males with the
skeletal Class III the treatment plan could introduce
the preservation procedures. Management of skeletal
Class II and III should take into consideration the nonextraction
management of the maxillary dentition. In
males showing high maxillary teeth crowding index,
treatment should not alter the upper facial height,
comprising also a relevant stable preservation therapy.