Evaluation of anthropometric and cone-beam computed tomography measurements of anatomical structures, affecting the mallampati scores

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of anthropometric and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) measurements taken from the head, neck and mandible in the Modified Mallampati Test (MMT) groups. Material and Method: The study was performed in Inonu University Faculty of Dentistry Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology. A total of 176 patients (88 male, 88 female) ranging from 18 to 65 years were included in the total of four MMT groups of 22 male and 22 female patients of each MMT group. A total of 20 anthropometric measurements and 23 radiological measurements were performed from each volunteer. T-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for two comparisons between male and female. ANOVA and Kruskal Wallis H tests were performed to compare male and female groups in different MMT groups. ROC analysis was applied to the patients in the non-risky and risky MMT groups. Results: Statistically significant difference was found between b-pl, kg, bmi, in-g, SMD, IID, TMD, ML, UL, U-Ph, TH, Snp-Nph and EgL measurements of males with different MMT groups and between b-pl, IID, TMD, EgB-Ph, EgL, al-al, SMD, UL and U-Ph measurements of females with different MMT groups (p<0.05). Statistically significant difference was found between b-pl, IID, go-go(a), TMD, TH, Snp-Nph, EgL, kg, bmi, in-g, go-gn, SMD, U-Ph, Snp-Ph, Sna-EgB and Snp-EgB measurements of males in risky and non-risky groups and between b-pl, TMD, Snp-Nph, Eg-Ph, gn-n, al-al and SMD measurements of females in risky and non-risky groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: We think that the results of anthropometric and tomographic measurements of different MMT groups obtained in this study may contribute to the preoperative detection of patients with intubation difficulties. Keywords: Mallampati, anthropometry, CBCT, difficult intubation