title: Effects on the sagittal pharyngeal dimensions of protraction and rapid palatal expansion in Class III malocclusion subjects.
abstract: This study examined the effects of rapid palatal expansion (RPE) and maxillary protraction headgear therapy in 18 patients with a skeletal Class III malocclusion (11 girls and seven boys; mean age 10.9 years) on upper airway dimensions compared with an untreated control group (nine girls and eight boys; mean age 10.9 years). Pre- and post-treatment cephalometric radiographs were traced and analysed at similar time intervals. The average treatment time was 6.94 +/- 0.56 months. Wilcoxon's test was used for intragroup comparisons and the Mann-Whitney U-test for intergroup comparisons. A significant increase occurred in the maxillary forward position. Mandibular forward movement and downward and backward rotation were inhibited. In addition, the upper incisors were proclined (P < 0.001), and the lower incisors were significantly retroclined (P < 0.05). When the treatment and control groups were compared, the upper airway linear measurements (pns-ad1, pns-ad2, APW-PPW, APW'-PPW') and the nasopharyngeal area had increased in the treatment group. These results demonstrated that maxillary expansion together with protraction of the maxilla improved naso- and oropharyngeal airway dimensions in the short term.
authors: Private Practice, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors: Ali Serdar
authors: AS
authors: Kilinç
authors: Seher Gündüz
authors: SG
authors: Arslan
authors: Jalen Devecioglu
authors: JD
authors: Kama
authors: Törün
authors: T
authors: Ozer
authors: Osman
authors: O
authors: Dari
mesh_terms: D000202:Activator Appliances; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D005115:Extraoral Traction Appliances; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000628:therapy*; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology*; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000473:pathology; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000473:pathology; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000379:methods*; D010155:Palatal Expansion Technique / Q000295:instrumentation; D010614:Pharynx / Q000473:pathology*; D012399:Rotation; D013997:Time Factors