Prediction of the upper airway growth in normal children

The purpose of the present study was to propose mathematical models for predicting the normal growth of the upper airway by using the lateral cephalograms. A set of two lateral cephalograms from each sample of 23 normal Japanese children at T1 (4.96 yr. ± 0.74) and T2 (9.47 yr. ± 1.33) was used for the analysis. For the measurements of the upper airway, 14 linear and 1 angular measurements were established. For the evaluation of craniofacial skeleton, 14 linear and 18 angular measurements were used according the traditional methods. The data were analyzed by multiple linear regression analysis. The results revealed 2 possible models for the upper airway growth prediction. The equation for the growth of the height from nasopharyngeal to the oropharyngeal airway space (MPW┬PNS-ANS) is YA = –22.753 + 0.207X1 + 0.047X2 + 0.042X3, where YA is the annual growth change of MPW┬PNS-ANS, X1 is the angle N-Pog to SN at T1, X2 is the angle L1 to mandibular plane at T1, and X3 is the angle Ramus plane to SN at T1 (R2 = 0.692, P < 0.05). The equation for the growth of the height from the nasopharyngeal airway space to GoT-MLPW (MLPW┬PNS-ANS) is YB=17.025–0.075X4–0.047X5–0.075X6, where YB is the annual growth change of MLPW┬PNS-ANS, X4 is the angle NSAr at T1, X5 is the angle ArGoMe at T1, and X6 is the angle Nasal floor to SN at T1 (R2 = 0.773, P < 0.05). The results of the present study could be used as models for predicting growth of the upper airway in the case evaluation and practice of pediatric dentistry.