Evaluation of hyoid bone position and airway size in Class III malocclusion

Son, Woo Sung; Choi, Yang Sook

Abstract

This study was performed to evaluate the hyoid bone position and airway in skeletal class III malocclusion and to prove the correlation between airway, hyoid bone position and mandibular position. The sample, considered of 47 class III malocclusion patients for experimental group and 52 class I malocclusion students for control group. Twenty three linear and angular measurements about hyoid bone position, airway size, mandibular position were taken from the lateral cephalograms. The differences between skeletal class III malocclusion group and normal occlusion group were compared and the correlation were evaluated statistically. The results obtained were as follows, 1. There were significant difference in S-APH, A-APH, N-APH, LAH-PBR, AA-PNS, PNS-ad between class I and class III malocclusion groups. 2. The hyoid bone was more anteriorly positioned in class III malocclusion group than class I malocclusion group and skeletal airway size in class III malocclusion group was smaller than class I malocclusion group. 3. There were significant difference in several measurements especially vertical and angular measurements of hyoid bone position and airway size between male and female. Usually the measurements in male were larger than female. 4. There were no significant correlation between hyoid bone position and airway size also airway size, and didn't showed significant correlation with mandibular position. 5. S-APH showed negative correlation with Wits appraisal and A-APH, N-APH showed positive correlation with Wits appraisal. On the contrary vertical measurements of hyoid bone position showed positive correlation with lower facial height.