Athanasiou A E, Papadopoulos M A, Mazaheri M, Lagoudakis M
School of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
Int J Adult Orthodon Orthognath Surg. 1994;9(4):273-83.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharynx, soft palate, adenoid tissue, tongue, and hyoid bone when a mandibular repositioning appliance was used for managing patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Lateral cephalograms of 45 adult obstructive sleep apnea patients from the Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic were taken without the appliance and some days later with the device in the mouth. This device was used during sleep for improving patients' respiration. Twenty-four cephalometric variables were evaluated. When the appliance was in the mouth, significant alterations (P < .001) were observed in the distances: (a) between anterior and posterior pharyngeal walls at the level of the second and third cervical vertebrae, respectively; (b) between the most superior point of the tongue and the maxillary plane; and (c) between the hyoid bone and the mandibular plane, ramus plane, cervical vertebrae tangent, mandibular symphysis, gonion, and third and fourth cervical vertebrae. The results of this study indicate that significant changes in pharyngeal space, hyoid bone, and tongue positions take place in obstructive sleep apnea patients when a mandibular repositioning device is used.
本研究的目的是评估在下颌重新定位矫治器用于治疗阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停患者时，其对咽部、软腭、腺样体组织、舌头和舌骨的影响。对来自兰卡斯特腭裂诊所的45名成年阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停患者，在未佩戴矫治器时以及几天后佩戴矫治器于口腔内时拍摄了头颅侧位片。该矫治器在睡眠期间使用，以改善患者的呼吸。评估了24个头颅测量变量。当矫治器置于口腔内时，在以下距离观察到显著变化（P <.001）：（a）分别在第二和第三颈椎水平的咽前壁与咽后壁之间；（b）舌的最上点与上颌平面之间；以及（c）舌骨与下颌平面、下颌升支平面、颈椎切线、下颌联合、下颌角以及第三和第四颈椎之间。本研究结果表明，在阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停患者中使用下颌重新定位装置时，咽部空间、舌骨和舌头位置会发生显著变化。
