Cone-beam CT evaluation of nasomaxillary complex and upper airway following rapid maxillary expansion

VernacularTitle:上颌快速扩弓对颅颌面骨及上气道影响的锥形束CT分析
Author: Lei LI ¹ ; Suqing QI ; Hongwei WANG ; Sufeng REN ; Jiandong BAN
Author Information

1. 河北省眼科医院口腔正畸科
Keywords: Palatal expansion technique; Cone-beam computed tomography; Maxillofacial development; Upper airway
From: Chinese Journal of Stomatology 2015;50(7):403-407
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract: Objectives To evaluate the naso-maxillary complex width and pharyngeal airway volume changes after rapid maxillary expansion(RME).Methods Thirty-five patients were selected(18 males,17 females,mean age,12.1 ± 1.1 years).All patients underwent orthodontic treatment with Hyrax palatal expanders.Cone-beam CT(CBCT) scan was taken before treatment(T0),16 days(T1) and three months (T3) after RME.Naso-maxillary complex width and pharyngeal airway volume were measured.Results After treatment the width of piriform aperture and maxillary width were significantly increased compared with that before treatment(P＜0.05).Three months after RME,no statistical difference was found in maxillary width compared with that before treatment.The nasopharyngeal volume significantly increased by 29.9％ compared with that before treatment(P＜0.05),and the volume remained relatively stable after three months.Conclusions RME resulted in a significant increase in the naso-maxillary complex width and nasopharyngeal volume.