Effect of fixed functional appliances on pharyngeal airway dimensions in Skeletal Class II individuals – A scoping review

Abstract

Background: Skeletal Class II malocclusion due to a retrognathic mandible produces a backwardly positioned tongue and soft palate, emanating compromised upper airway dimensions and breathing difficulties. Aims: The present review aims to explore and concise the findings of the existing studies assessing the effects of fixed functional appliances on pharyngeal airway dimensions by advancing the mandible. Design: A literature search was carried out on MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, Science direct, Semantic Scholar and Google Scholar databases for studies up to December 2020, resulting in 1037 studies. Specified inclusion/exclusion criteria guided the selection of 18 relevant articles. The sample size, type of the appliance, method of assessment and outcomes of these articles were assessed in detail and tabulated. Results: Out of 18 studies included, 12 were retrospective longitudinal and the remaining were clinical trials. Majority of the studies (72%) reported a positive influence of the fixed functional appliances on the dimensions of the oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal airways with minimal effects on nasopharyngeal airway. Conclusion: Thus, it can be concluded that fixed functional appliances have a beneficial effect on the middle and lower pharyngeal airway dimensions by advancing the mandible.

Keywords

• Fixed functional appliances
• Retrognathia
• Mandible
• Airway