Obstructive sleep apnoea: a cephalometric study. Part I. Cervico-craniofacial skeletal morphology

Eur J Orthod. 1995 Feb;17(1):45-56. doi: 10.1093/ejo/17.1.45.

Abstract

A comprehensive cephalometric analysis of cervico-craniofacial skeletal morphology in 100 male patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and 36 male controls was performed. The significant aberrations in the OSA group feature: (1) shorter dimension of cranial base with slight counter-clockwise rotation and depression of clivus; (2) shorter maxillary length with normal height; (3) maxillo-mandibular retrognathia related to nasion perpendicular plane (N perpendicular FH) despite normal angles of prognathism; (4) 47 per cent of the OSA group had mandibular retrognathia; (5) increased anterior lower facial height and mandibular plane angle; (6) reduced size of bony pharynx; (7) inferiorly positioned hyoid bone at C4-C6 level; (8) deviated head posture with larger cranio-cervical angle. Cephalometric analysis is highly recommended in OSA patients as one of the most important tools in diagnosis and treatment planning.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cephalometry*
  • Cervical Vertebrae / pathology*
  • Facial Bones / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Hyoid Bone / pathology
  • Male
  • Mandible / pathology
  • Maxilla / pathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Pharynx / pathology
  • Posture
  • Retrognathia / pathology
  • Rotation
  • Skull / pathology*
  • Sleep Apnea Syndromes / pathology*