Hyoid Position Related to Craniocervical Angulation, Mandibular Growth and Airway

Objectives: To verify the correlation between vertical and horizontal position of the hyoid bone with the craniocervical angle, mandibular growth and naso-oropharynx dimensions in preadolescent children.
Methods: A sample of orthodontic records of 100 Brazilian individuals of both genders (50 females and 50 males) and chronological age between 7 and 8 years was selected among those files of patients who sought care in the orthodontic undergraduate clinic of the Araraquara Dental School, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Julio de Mesquita Filho" Unesp - Brazil. No distinction was made with respect to malocclusion or any issues related to ethnicity or breathing pattern. Lateral cephalometric analysis was performed to obtain the correlations (Pearson's correlation coefficient).
Results: The vertical position of the hyoid bone is correlated with craniocervical angle (r=-0.40 for males and r=-0.34 for females) and the horizontal position is correlated with the Witts for females (r=-0.46). The vertical position of the hyoid bone to the mandibular plane is correlated with the mandibular plane angle, craniocervical angle and lower airways in women (r=0,42; r=0,41; and r=0,37 respectively).
Conclusions: There are significant correlations between vertical position of the hyoid bone and craniocervical angulation in both gender; between vertical position of the hyoid bone and mandibular plane angle and inferior airway dimensions in women; and between horizontal position of the hyoid bone and maxillomandibular relation for females.