Anatomical relation between nasal septum deviation and oropharynx volume in different facial patterns evaluated through cone beam computed tomography

Introduction

The objective of this study was to establish the anatomical relation between nasal septum deviation (NSD) and oropharynx volume in different facial patterns using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Methods

Ninety CBCT examinations were analyzed. InVivoDental software was used to evaluate cephalometric image reconstructions in terms of facial type, determined from cephalometric measurements indicative of growth direction; the presence of NSD was also evaluated. ITK-SNAP software was employed for delimitation of the oropharynx. Intra-examiner error methods were recorded. The results were subjected to parametric and non-parametric tests using Bioestat 5.0.

Results

A comparison of facial types revealed a significantly lower prevalence of NSD in the dolichofacial group compared with the brachyfacial and mesofacial groups (P = 0.0101 and 0.0149, respectively). In the total sample, there was a very strong positive relation between the presence of NSD and oropharynx space volume (P = 0.0162). The oropharynx volume was larger in all facial patterns in the presence of NSD.

Conclusion

The presence of NSD was not associated with facial type, although the oropharynx volume in patients with NSD increased. Therefore, deviation of the septum influences oropharynx volume.