A study on the correlation between respiratory and craniofacial morphology

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between oral airflow ratio and craniofacial, airway and dental morphology. Methods: 72 subjects ranging in age from 11 to 14 years were selected. Their oral airflow ratios were measured by the system for the simultaneous measurement of oral and nasal respiration, and 86 variables of their craniofacial, airway and dental morphology were acquired by cephalometric films and models, from which 16 significant variables were selected. A multiple regression analysis (backward) and linear regression analysis were carried out in order to acquire morphological variables that had closer correlation with the oral airflow ratio. Results: Four variables were found to have closer correlated association with the oral airflow ratio (P<0.05), which were Me-ANS'/N-Me,Ar-Go-Me,P-T,SHJK orderly and the coefficients were 3.359, 0.012,-0.013,-0.021 respectively. Conclusion: Craniofacial morphology was related to the respiratory mode.