Research Information System
Clinical Dentistry and Research, vol.45, no.1, pp.13-21, 2021 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
Background and Aim: This retrospective study of 41 patient records aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of two functional appliances in changing pharyngeal airway dimensions and compare these results with untreated patients. Material and Method: 15 patients were treated with Frankel 2 appliances (FR group) and 15 patients treated with Activator (AC group). The control group included 11 patients who did not receive orthodontic treatment. Cephalometric radiographs were performed pre- (T1) and post-treatment (T2). A paired sample t test or Mann Whitney U test was used for intra- group comparisons according to the distribution of the data. Analysis of variance with Tukey’s tests was used to compare the difference between the groups. A level of p< 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In the FR group, statistically significant differences were found between the T1 and T2 radiographs in the superior pharyngeal airway space (SPAS), inferior pharyngeal airway space-2 (GoB-IAS), and vertical airway length (VAL) measurements. In the AC group, only inferior pharyngeal airway space (IPAS) measurements showed a statistically significant difference between the T1 and T2 radiographs. In the control group, VAL measurement was statistically significantly different between the T1 and T2 radiographs. Conclusion: Although the FR group showed positive changes in pharyngeal airway dimensions, no significant difference was found in the intergroup comparison of pharyngeal measurements