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Korean J Orthod
First Published Date August 18, 2023
Copyright © The Korean Association of Orthodontists.
Yuchen Zheng, a,g† Hussein Aljawad, a† Min-Seok Kim, b Su-Hoon Choi, c Min-Soo Kim, d Min-Hee Oh, e Jin-Hyoung Cho f*
a PhD, DDS, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea
b PhD, DDS, Department of Oral Anatomy, School of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea
c MSc, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea
d PhD, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea,
e PhD, DDS, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Dental 4D Research Institute, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea,
f PhD, DDS, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Dental 4D Research Institute, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea,
g PhD, DDS, Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Stomatology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital（Affiliated People's Hospital）, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
Correspondence to:Jin-Hyoung Cho, PhD DDS, Professor and Department Chair, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Dental 4D Research Institute, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnam National University, 33 Yongbong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61186, Republic of Korea (jhcho@jnu.ac.kr, +82-62-530-5818, fax: 82-62-530-0819)
† These authors contributed equally to this work.
Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the association between low tongue positions and the volume and dimensions of the nasopharyngeal, retropalatal, retroglossal, and hypopharyngeal segments of the upper airway.
Methods: Totally, 194 subjects included 91 male and 103 female were divided into resting tongue position (RTP) group and low tongue position (LTP) group according to their tongue position. Subjects in the LTP group were divided into four subgroups (Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4) according to the intra-oral space volume. 3D slicer software was utilized to measure the volume and minimum and average cross-sectional area of each group. Airway differences between RTP and LTP group were analyzed to explore the association of the tongue position and the upper airway.
Results: No significant difference was found in airway dimensions between the RTP and LTP groups. For both the retropalatal and retroglossal segment, volume and average cross-sectional area were significantly greater in the Q4 group than in the LTP group. Regression analysis showed that retroglossal airway dimension was positively correlated with intra-oral space volume while negatively correlated with ANB and PP-MP. Males generally had a larger retroglossal and hypopharynx airway than females.
Conclusions: Tongue position did not show a significant influence on the upper airway volumes and dimensions except in the extreme low tongue position subgroup. Retroglossal and hypopharynx airway dimensions are positively correlated with intra-oral space volume while negatively correlated with ANB and PP-MP. The dimensions of retroglossal and hypopharynx airways are generally larger in male subjects than in female subjects.
Keywords: CT, Airway, Habit, Soft tissue
Korean J Orthod
First Published Date August 18, 2023
Copyright © The Korean Association of Orthodontists.
Yuchen Zheng, a,g† Hussein Aljawad, a† Min-Seok Kim, b Su-Hoon Choi, c Min-Soo Kim, d Min-Hee Oh, e Jin-Hyoung Cho f*
a PhD, DDS, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea
b PhD, DDS, Department of Oral Anatomy, School of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea
c MSc, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea
d PhD, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea,
e PhD, DDS, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Dental 4D Research Institute, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea,
f PhD, DDS, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Dental 4D Research Institute, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea,
g PhD, DDS, Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Stomatology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital（Affiliated People's Hospital）, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
Correspondence to:Jin-Hyoung Cho, PhD DDS, Professor and Department Chair, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Dental 4D Research Institute, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnam National University, 33 Yongbong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61186, Republic of Korea (jhcho@jnu.ac.kr, +82-62-530-5818, fax: 82-62-530-0819)
† These authors contributed equally to this work.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the association between low tongue positions and the volume and dimensions of the nasopharyngeal, retropalatal, retroglossal, and hypopharyngeal segments of the upper airway.
Methods: Totally, 194 subjects included 91 male and 103 female were divided into resting tongue position (RTP) group and low tongue position (LTP) group according to their tongue position. Subjects in the LTP group were divided into four subgroups (Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4) according to the intra-oral space volume. 3D slicer software was utilized to measure the volume and minimum and average cross-sectional area of each group. Airway differences between RTP and LTP group were analyzed to explore the association of the tongue position and the upper airway.
Results: No significant difference was found in airway dimensions between the RTP and LTP groups. For both the retropalatal and retroglossal segment, volume and average cross-sectional area were significantly greater in the Q4 group than in the LTP group. Regression analysis showed that retroglossal airway dimension was positively correlated with intra-oral space volume while negatively correlated with ANB and PP-MP. Males generally had a larger retroglossal and hypopharynx airway than females.
Conclusions: Tongue position did not show a significant influence on the upper airway volumes and dimensions except in the extreme low tongue position subgroup. Retroglossal and hypopharynx airway dimensions are positively correlated with intra-oral space volume while negatively correlated with ANB and PP-MP. The dimensions of retroglossal and hypopharynx airways are generally larger in male subjects than in female subjects.
Keywords: CT, Airway, Habit, Soft tissue
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