Zheng Yuchen, Aljawad Hussein, Kim Min-Seok, Choi Su-Hoon, Kim Min-Soo, Oh Min-Hee, Cho Jin-Hyoung
Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea.
Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Stomatology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Korean J Orthod. 2023 Sep 25;53(5):317-327. doi: 10.4041/kjod23.019.
This study aimed to evaluate the association between low tongue position (LTP) and the volume and dimensions of the nasopharyngeal, retropalatal, retroglossal, and hypopharyngeal segments of the upper airway.
A total of 194 subjects, including 91 males and 103 females were divided into a resting tongue position (RTP) group and a 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 intraoral space volume. The 3D slicer software was used to measure the volume and minimum and average cross-sectional areas of each group. Airway differences between the RTP and LTP groups were analyzed to explore the association between tongue position and the upper airway.
No significant differences were found in the airway dimensions between the RTP and LTP groups. For both retropalatal and retroglossal segments, the volume and average cross-sectional area were significantly greater in the patients with extremely low tongue position. Regression analysis showed that the retroglossal airway dimensions were positively correlated with the intraoral space volume and negatively correlated with A point-nasion-B point and palatal plane to mandibular plane. Males generally had larger retroglossal and hypopharyngeal airways than females.
Tongue position did not significantly influence upper airway volume or dimensions, except in the extremely LTP subgroup.
本研究旨在评估低舌位（LTP）与上气道鼻咽段、腭后段、舌后段及下咽段的容积和尺寸之间的关联。
总共194名受试者，包括91名男性和103名女性，根据其舌位被分为静息舌位（RTP）组和LTP组。LTP组的受试者根据口腔内空间容积被分为四个亚组（Q1、Q2、Q3和Q4）。使用3D Slicer软件测量每组的容积以及最小和平均横截面积。分析RTP组和LTP组之间的气道差异，以探讨舌位与上气道之间的关联。
RTP组和LTP组之间的气道尺寸未发现显著差异。对于腭后段和舌后段，极低舌位患者的容积和平均横截面积显著更大。回归分析表明，舌后气道尺寸与口腔内空间容积呈正相关，与A点-鼻根点-B点以及腭平面至下颌平面呈负相关。男性的舌后和下咽气道通常比女性大。
除了极低LTP亚组外，舌位对上气道容积或尺寸没有显著影响。
