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.
Subject(s)
Cone-Beam Computed Tomography , Maxilla/diagnostic imaging , Nose/diagnostic imaging , Palatal Expansion Technique , Female , Humans , Imaging, Three-Dimensional , Male , Palate/diagnostic imaging , Pharynx/diagnostic imagingABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the short-term and long-term effects of pharyngeal airway in mandibular prognathism patients after the combined orthodontic and orthognathic treatment. METHODS: The sample included 28 skeletal Class III patients (13 males, 15 females) who had undergone mandibular setback surgery and orthodontic treatment. Cone-beam CT was taken one week before treatment (T0), 6 months (T1) and 3 years after surgery (T2). Raw data were reconstructed into three-dimensional model. Sagittal and transversal measurements, cross sectional areas, partial and total volumes were computed. RESULTS: Six months after surgery, oropharyngeal volume [(9 021 ± 4 263) mm³], hypopharyngeal volume [(9 236 ± 5 963) mm³] and total volume [(28 619 ± 9 854) mm³] decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Three years after surgery, only sagittal diameters [(15.9 ± 3.5) mm] and cross sectional areas [(996 ± 398) mm²] in the first cervical vertebra plane came back to the original levels (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The pharyngeal airway space decreased after orthodontic-orthognathic therapy in the short term and it increased in some areas in the long term.
