The Effect of Mandibular Anterior Repositioning on the Upper Airway Volume

하악의 전방 이동이 상부기도의 용적에 미치는 영향

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to measure the minimal cross-sectional areas and volumes of the pharynx in snoring patients and normal subjects and to see if there is an increase in the minimal cross-sectional areas and volumes of the pharynx with advancement of the mandible. METHODS: The pharyngeal computed tomography and 3-dimensional reconstruction were used to measure the cross-sectional areas and volumes of the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and hypopharynx with the jaw in normal position and in protrusive position in 7 patients with snoring and 7 control subjects while they were awake. RESULTS: The oropharynx was revealed to have the most narrow site in the pharynx and there was a tendency for the snorers to have a smaller nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal cross-sectional area than normal subjects but not statistically significant. There were no significant differences in the volumes of the nasopharynx and oropharynx between the two groups. With advancement of the jaw the minimal cross-sectional area of oropharynx was significantly increased, and the volume was also increased but not significantly. The minimal cross-sectional areas and volumes of nasopharynx as well as hypopharynx were not significantly influenced by the advancement of the mandible. CONCLUSIONS: There was a tendency for snorers to have a smaller oropharynx than normal subjects and the oropharyngeal lumen was increased with the advancement of the mandible in both snorers and normal subjects.