Pharyngeal airway space, hyoid bone position, and head posture after bimaxillary orthognathic surgery in Class III...

(1) To determine the effect of bimaxillary orthognathic surgery on pharyngeal airway, hyoid bone, and craniocervical posture in Class III bimaxillary surgery patients. (2) To evaluate short-term and long-term results. (3) To compare short- and long-term values.

Twenty-six Class III adult patients treated with bimaxillary surgery were included in the study. Cephalometric records were taken before treatment (T1), before surgery (T2), and 5 months (T3), 1.4 years (T4), 3 years (T5), and 5 years (T6) postsurgery.

No significant differences were identified in craniocervical angulation between time intervals. There was a significant superior movement of hyoid bone at postsurgery (T3; P < .05); however, adaptation occurred to the normal position in the long term. A nonsignificant decrease occurred at the oropharyngeal middle pharyngeal distance parameter; however, this was compensated with a significant increase between T5 and T6 (P < .001). A significant decrease was observed in the hypopharyngeal Go-P parameter between T3 and T1 (P < .01), but it recovered with a nonsignificant increase in the long term. A significant increase in nasopharyngeal area was observed between T3 and T1 (P < .05). The hypopharyngeal area significantly increased between T5 and T6, and PNS-R significantly increased between T3 and T1 (P < .05).

The pharyngeal areas adversely affected after surgery recover at long-term follow-up; thus, adaptation occurs after bimaxillary surgery.