title: CT analysis of nasal volume changes after surgically-assisted rapid maxillary expansion.
abstract: 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.
authors: Department of Orthodontics, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors: Eve
authors: E
authors: Tausche
authors: Wayel
authors: W
authors: Deeb
authors: Lars
authors: L
authors: Hansen
authors: Volker
authors: V
authors: Hietschold
authors: Winfried
authors: W
authors: Harzer
authors: Matthias
authors: M
authors: Schneider
mesh_terms: 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