title: Headache and transverse maxillary discrepancy.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of rapid palatal expansion in growing patients to eliminate the nasal pyramid stenosis as a cause of primary headache. Patients were invited to participate in the clinical study at the University of Milan, Department of Orthodontics. Forty-one growing patients of both genders suffering from primary neurovascular headaches and having transverse maxillary deficiency were studied before and after rapid palatal expansion. A clinical examination, postero-anterior radiography and rhinomanometry were performed. After rapid palatal expansion (RPE) therapy all patients showed a constant and important increase in the values relating to both skeletal and dental structures, a significant reduction in the mean nasal resistance, and a significant decrease or elimination of headache symptoms. This therapy provides a preventive alternative for surgical procedures, such as the neurovascular decompressive septo-ethmoidosphenoidectomy performed in adult patients.
authors.affiliation: Orthodontic Department, School of Dental Medicine, University of Milan, Italy. giampietro.farronato@unimi.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Farronato
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maspero
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Periti
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Farronato
mesh_terms: D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D020773:Headache Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D008437:Maxilla / Q000002:abnormalities; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000379:methods; D010155:Palatal Expansion Technique; D025363:Rhinomanometry; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome