Pharyngeal width comparison in different skeletal malocclusions and growth patterns of Nepalese population

Abstract

Context: Regarding the relationship between the size of the pharynx and several sagittal skeletal malocclusions and patterns of growth, contradictory findings have been documented. Aims: The intent of this research was to analyze the size of the pharynx in various sagittal malocclusions and growth patterns in the Nepalese population. Settings and Design: An analytic cross-sectional research was undertaken on patients who attended the Orthodontics Division of BPKIHS. Materials and Methods: A total of 135 patients’ lateral cephalometric radiographs were gathered. Medians and interquartile ranges of pharyngeal widths according to McNamara airway analysis and Arnett/Gunson FAB airway analysis adapted by Santiago et al. in different skeletal malocclusions and growth patterns were compared. Results: There was not any discernible statistically noteworthy variation within the upper pharynx size, lower pharyngeal width, nasopharyngeal width (WNP), oropharyngeal width, hypopharyngeal width (WHP), and deep pharyngeal width (WDP) in different skeletal malocclusions. A statistically significant variation was discovered in nasopharyngeal size (P = 0.010), hypopharyngeal size (P = 0.027), and deep pharyngeal size (P < 0.001) in various patterns of growth, i.e. hypodivergent versus normodivergent, and in hypodivergent versus hyperdivergent, not in normodivergent versus hyperdivergent group of patients. Conclusion: There was not anything statistically noteworthy variation in the pharyngeal widths of the participants with respect to the various skeletal malocclusions. WNP, WHP, and WDP showed a statistically significant variation between hypodivergent versus normodivergent and hypodivergent versus hyperdivergent growth patterns.