CT analysis of nasal volume changes after surgically-assisted rapid maxillary expansion.
OBJECTIVE
Aim of this study was to detect the changes in nasal volume due to bone-borne, surgically-assisted rapid palatal expansion (RPE) with the Dresden Distractor using computed tomography (CT).


METHODS
17 patients (mean age 28.8) underwent axial CT scanning before and 6 months after RPE. The nasal bone width was examined in the coronal plane. Cross-sectional images of the nasal cavity were taken of the area surrounding the piriform aperture, choanae and in between. Bony nasal volume was computed by connecting the three cross-sectional areas.


RESULTS
All but two patients showed a 4.8% increase in nasal volume (SD 4.6%). The highest value, 33.3% (SD 45.1%), was measured anteriorly at the level of the nasal floor. This correlated with the midpalatal suture's V-shaped opening. There was no significant correlation between an increase in nasal volume and transverse dental arch expansion.


CONCLUSIONS
As most of the air we breathe passes the lower nasal floor, an improvement in nasal breathing is likely.
Tausche
Eve
E
Department of Orthodontics, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Deeb
Wayel
W
Hansen
Lars
L
Hietschold
Volker
V
Harzer
Winfried
W
Schneider
Matthias
M
D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D009666:Nose / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D009929:Organ Size; D019857:Osteogenesis, Distraction / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D010155:Palatal Expansion Technique; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome