GENDER AND RACIAL VARIATIONS IN CEPHALOMETRIC ANALYSIS

Cephalometric analysis has earned a vital role in the evaluation of ob structive sleep apnea. However, the normal measurements cited in the l iterature are not sex or race specific. Skeletal differences in sexes and races have been established. This study was initiated to examine w hether race and sex variations in soft tissue and skeletal measurement s exist in cephalometric analysis. A total of 89 volunteers of differe nt race and sex participated in this study, The data support the hypot hesis that there are statistically significant differences in (1) sell a-nasion-subspinale angle (SNA) between black men, and both Caucasian and Hispanic men, (2) sella-nasion-supramentale angle (SNB) between bl ack men and Caucasian men, (3) posterior airway space between Caucasia n men and women, and (4) mandibular plane to hyoid distance between Ca ucasian men and women. These data suggest that only SNA and SNB need r acial specificity, Furthermore, Caucasian women need a separate set of normal values from men, specifically posterior airway space and mandi bular plane to hyoid bone.