Evaluation and quantification of airway changes in Class II division 1 patients undergoing myofunctional therapy using twin block appliance

Vivek Kumar Thakur; S M Londhe; Prasanna Kumar; Mohit Sharma; Amit Jain; Ishan Pradhan

doi:10.1016/j.mjafi.2020.01.007

Evaluation and quantification of airway changes in Class II division 1 patients undergoing myofunctional therapy using twin block appliance

Med J Armed Forces India. 2021 Jan;77(1):28-31. doi: 10.1016/j.mjafi.2020.01.007. Epub 2020 May 12.

Authors

Vivek Kumar Thakur¹, S M Londhe², Prasanna Kumar³, Mohit Sharma⁴, Amit Jain⁴, Ishan Pradhan¹

Affiliations

¹ Resident, Department of Dental Surgery & Oral Health Sciences, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune 411040, India.
² Director General Dental Services & Colonel Commandant, O/o DGDS, 'L' Block, IHQ of MOD (Army), New Delhi 110010, India.
³ Professor, Department of Dental Surgery & Oral Health Sciences, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune 411040, India.
⁴ Associate Professor, Department of Dental Surgery & Oral Health Sciences, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune 411040, India.

Abstract

Background: The purpose of the present study was to determine the airway changes in skeletal class II division 1 malocclusion patients with mandibular retrognathism, treated with Twin-Block (TB) appliance.

Methods: Airway assessment was carried for twelve patients (mean age 11.7 ± 1.1 years) who underwent myofunctional therapy using TB appliance for correction of skeletal class II division 1 malocclusion with mandibular retrognathism. Acoustic pharyngometry (AP) was used to assess and quantify the comparative changes in the upper airway, pretreatment and posttreatment.

Results: Data acquired was subjected to appropriate statistical analysis. The paired 't' test was used to compare pre-treatment (T0) and after the positive pterygoid response (T1). TB appliance increased mean minimum airway area by 0.28 ± 0.25 cm² and mean airway by 0.47 ± 0.44 cm² with 95% CI. Posttreatment minimum airway and mean area changes were found to be statistically significant (P-value<0.01).

Conclusion: TB appliance therapy has a positive effect on upper airway and is beneficial for the treatment of sleep-related disorders associated with Class II division 1 malocclusion for achieving positive functional changes, esthetics, and healthier quality of life.

Keywords: Acoustic pharyngometry; Airway; Quality of life; Sleep related disorders; Twin block.