The upper airway is a fascial space composed of soft and hard tissues, it is an important channel of life. Its size and patency directly affect breathing and sleep. Orthodontic treatment will have a certain impact on the oral and maxillofacial system, thus affecting the shape, size and ventilation of the upper airway. In recent years, with the deepening of people's understanding of sleep-disordered breathing, the influence of orthodontic treatment on the upper airway has gradually become the focus of scholars. This article reviews the relationship between orthodontic treatment and adult upper airway morphology and its related research progress, in order to provide a reliable theoretical basis for orthodontic treatment and related research.