European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF PHARYNGEAL AIRWAY SPACE IN PATIENTS TREATED WITH THERAPEUTIC EXTRACTION OF PREMOLARS AND DISTALIZATION OF MAXILLARY ARCH: A CEPHALOMETRIC STUDY

Dr. Siddhi Shah* and Dr. Santoshkumar Goje

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Distalization of the maxillary dentition is alternative treatment modality for Class II and Class I malocclusion with bimaxillary dentoalveolar protrusion patients. Different treatment protocols not only change the size of the oral cavity but also affects the pharyngeal airway dimensions. Aim: To evaluate and compare the changes in the pharyngeal airway space in subjects treated with extraction of upper premolars and in subjects treated by distalization of maxillary arch on lateral cephalograms. Materials and methods: Present study is retrospective evaluation of the upper respiratory airway between the patients treated either with distalization (Group B) or therapeutic extraction of premolars (Group A). So, as per inclusion criteria, all the required records i.e. pre and post treatment lateral cephalograms for all 30 patients were collected. Evaluation of pharyngeal airway space on pre-treatment(T0) and post-treatment(T1) lateral cephalograms were evaluated and the difference between two was measured. Results and Conclusion: No change was found in superior airway space dimensions in both the groups. Middle and inferior airway space was decreased (P < 0.05) in both the groups. There was statistically significant narrowing of the airway space in the premolar extraction group (Group A) as well as the distalization group (Group B). Narrowing of airway space was less in distalization group (group B) when compared to premolar extraction group (group A).

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