BACKGROUND The posterior airway space (PAS) is delimited by hard and soft tissues. In patients with severe hypoplasia of the middle and lower third of the face, a decrease in volume of the PAS may be present, producing a polysyndromic condition that ranges from snoring to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The aim of this study is to define PAS morphology and variations by 3D computerized tomography cephalometric study in patients affected by skeletal malocclusion. METHODS The authors studied 30 patients affected by skeletal Class II or Class III malocclusion. To evaluate posterior airway space morphology and it relation with surrounding tissues, 3D cephalometric analyses were performed by computerized tomography. RESULTS This study showed significant differences in tongue and soft palate position, vertical length of oropharynx, anteroposterior dimensions of the upper airway, nasopharynx and oropharynx cross-sectional area between groups. CONCLUSIONS 3D cephalometric studies of hard tissue and posterior airway space should be performed in all patients affected by maxillomandibular malformation. This approach may provide data for the diagnosis of respiratory pathologies that vary from snoring to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
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