title: Effect of an intra-oral nasal dilation appliance on 3-D nasal airway morphology in adults.
abstract: To determine the effects of a nasal dilation appliance on 3-D nasopharyngeal airway patency. The sample comprised 187 adults (98 males, 89 females) with a history of sleep-disordered breathing. Acoustic rhinometry readings were taken from all patients before and after the intra-oral placement of a nasal dilation appliance (OASYS). The mean left and right nasopharyngeal airways were reconstructed in 3-D, and the data from the right and left nostrils were subjected to principal components analysis (PCA) and finite-element scaling analysis (FESA). Comparing the pre- and post-treatment 3-D mean, left nasopharyngeal airways using PCA, the first two eigenvalues accounted for 96% of the total shape change, and statistical differences were found (p < 0.01). Similarly, for the right side, significant differences were detected between the mean pre- and post-treatment 3-D nasopharyngeal airways (p < 0.01) using PCA. Using FESA to quantify and localize changes after the placement of the nasal dilation appliance, the 3-D mean, normalized, left nasopharyngeal airway was found to be 14% wider in the anterior nasal valve region and 28% wider in the distal regions, while the 3-D mean, normalized, right nasopharyngeal airway was 13% wider in the anterior nasal valve region and 27% wider further distally. The use of an intra-oral nasal dilation appliance may be useful in the management of nasopharyngeal conditions, such as snoring, upper airway resistance syndrome, sleep-disordered breathing, and obstructive sleep apnea, especially in cases where nasal obstruction is demonstrable.
authors: Portland State University, OR 97207-0751, USA. gdsingh@pdx.edu
authors: G Dave
authors: GD
authors: Singh
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Abramson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002508:Cephalometry; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003735:Dental Casting Technique; D004106:Dilatation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000473:pathology; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000473:pathology*; D016382:Orthodontic Appliance Design; D009968:Orthodontic Appliances, Removable; D017286:Polysomnography; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*