Comparison of hyoid bone positions and pharyngeal airway dimensions in different body mass index percentile adolescent subjects.

OBJECTIVE: Increased body mass index (BMI) is a growing problem worldwide and can affect medical conditions through morphological structures. The purpose of this study was to examine the hyoid bone position and pharyngeal airway dimensions on the sagittal section in different BMI percentile adolescent subjects.

METHODS: Fifty-five adolescent patients were subdivided into three groups, considering their BMI percentiles: Normal-weight (16 subjects), overweight (20 subjects), and obese (19 subjects). A total of 13 linear and angular parameters of head posture angle, pharyngeal airway dimensions, and hyoid bone positions were investigated on 55 lateral cephalometric radiographs.

RESULTS: Except for one hyoid bone measurement (RGN-H), there was no significant difference among groups. The RGN-H distances of obese and overweight adolescent subjects were higher than normal-weight adolescent subjects.

CONCLUSION: Obese, overweight, and normal-weight adolescent subjects were likely to have similar hyoid bone position and pharyngeal airway dimensions.