A cephalometric study of nasopharynx in skeletal class I and III malocclusion

Aim: Nasopharyngeal space is estimated from a point on the posterior part of the soft palate till the nearest point on the wall of the pharynx and the aim of the present study was to study the nasopharyngeal indices in nasal breathers with class I and III malocclusions.Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive analytical study done by the case - control method on ۳۵ lateral cephalometries of patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion as the study group and ۳۰ lateral cephalometries of patients with skeletal Class I malocclusion as the control group. The population under study included patients referring to the orthodontic clinic and their age range was between ۱۰ and ۲۰ years. The lateral cephalometric radiographies were traced and data was analyzed using coefficient relation and t test.Results: The bony height of the nasopharyngeal space had a statistically significant positive relationship with the anterior facial height. The bony area of nasopharyngeal space had a significant positive relationship with the anterior and lower facial height. There was no significant difference between the bony dimensions of the nasopharyngeal space and nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal airway of the two groups.Conclusion: There was no significant difference between nasopharyngeal area parameters in skeletal Class I and Ill malocclusion. In nasal breather with skeletal Class III malocclusion, dimensions of nasopharyngeal area have no significant effect on facial growth pattern.