Study of Upper Pharyngeal Airway Dimension in Young Adults Visiting Orthodontic Department of a Dental College: A Descriptive Crosssectional Study

INTRODUCTION: Orthodontic treatment may affect the size and position of oropharyngeal structures altering the airway dimension. Airway dimension is considered as one of the parameter of orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. Narrow airway passage is associated with sleep disordered breathing. This aims to study about the measurement of upper pharyngeal airway dimension of young Nepalese adults visiting orthodontic department of a dental college. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at Department of Orthodontics, People's Dental College and Hospital, Kathmandu. Data was collected from 8(th) December 2020 to 28(th) February 2021. Ethical clearance (Reference number. 1, CH100 06, 2077/2076) was taken from Institutional Review Committee of Peoples Dental College and Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. Convenient Sampling technique was done. Data was collected and analysis was done using Statistical Package of Social Sciences 16. RESULTS: Mean upper pharyngeal airway dimension was 11.40±1.84mm and 11.68±1.96mm for male and female respectively. Upper pharyngeal airway dimension was found to be almost similar for male and female. CONCLUSIONS: Gender diversity regarding upper pharyngeal airway dimesnion was not observed in this study while other studies also revealed similarities in upper pharyngeal airway dimension between male and female, inspite of larger craniofacial dimension in males than females.