A longitudinal study of the growth changes on nasopharynx and adenoid of the Korean with normal occlusion

Ji, Myung Ju; Park, Kyung Duk; Sung, Jae Hyun

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the growth pattern of nasopharyx and adenoid and to obtain useful measurements for evaluating the fuction of the nasal breathing. The biennial serial cephalometric radiographs of 33 samples(19 male, 14 female) with normal occlusion from 8.5 years to 18.5 years of age were used in this study. The distances, areas and ratios on nasopharynx and adenoid were measured and analyzed in each age and sex. The results of this study might be summarized as follows; 1. The mean value and standard deviation of each measurement was obtained in each age and sex. 2. The nasopharyngeal height and the nasopharyngeal depth increased significantly by 14.5 years of age in male and 12.5 years of age in female(p<0.05). 3. The relative nasal airway area showed the minimal value at 8.5 years of age and showed significant increase from 10.5 years to 12.5 years of age in male and from 12.5 years to 14.5 years of age in female(p<0.05). 4. In the correlation analysis between the measurements on the nasal airway and the measurement of relative nasal airway area, the measurements of Ad2-PNS, Ad2-PNS/Ho'-PNS and Upper pharynx appeared singnificant correlation with the measurement of relative nasal airway area(p<0.01).