OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP-APNEA - A CEPHALOMETRIC STUDY .1. CERVICO-CRANIOFACIAL SKELETAL MORPHOLOGY

A comprehensive cephalometric analysis of cervico-craniofacial skeleta l morphology in 100 male patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and 36 male controls was performed. The significant aberrations in the OSA group feature: (1) shorter dimension of cranial base with slight counter-clockwise rotation and depression of clivus; (2) shorter maxil lary length with normal height; (3) maxillo-mandibular retrognathia re lated to nasion perpendicular plane (N perpendicular to FH) despite no rmal angles of prognathism; (4) 47 per cent of the OSA group had mandi bular retrognathia; (5) increased anterior lower facial height and man dibular plane angle; (6) reduced size of bony pharynx; (7) inferiorly positioned hyoid bone at C4-C6 level; (8) deviated head posture with l arger cranio-cervical angle. Cephalometric analysis is highly recommen ded in OSA patients as one of the most important tools in diagnosis an d treatment planning.