Changes in nasal volume after surgically assisted bone-borne rapid maxillary expansion.
BACKGROUND
The purposes of this study were to detect, locate, and examine the changes in transverse nasal width, area, and volume from bone-borne, surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME) with the Dresden distractor by using computer tomography (CT).


METHODS
Sixteen patients (average age, 28.7 years) underwent axial CT scanning before and 6 months after SARME. They also underwent CT fusion on specific bony structures. The nasal bone width was examined in the coronal plane. The cross-sectional images of the nasal cavity were taken of the area surrounding the apertura piriformis, the choanae, and in between. We calculated cross-sectional areas and nasal volume according to these data.


RESULTS
All but 2 patients had an increase in nasal volume of at least 5.1% (SD, 4.6%). The largest value of 35.3% (SD, 45.8%) was measured anteriorly on the nasal floor, decreasing cranially and posteriorly. This correlated with the V-shaped opening of the sutura palatina. There was no significant correlation between increase in nasal volume and transversal expansion.


CONCLUSIONS
Because most of the air we breathe passes over the lower nasal floor, SARME is likely to improve nasal breathing.
Deeb
Wayel
W
Department of Orthodontics, Technical University, Dresden, Germany.
Hansen
Lars
L
Hotan
Thorsten
T
Hietschold
Volker
V
Harzer
Winfried
W
Tausche
Eve
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000601:surgery*; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009666:Nose / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019857:Osteogenesis, Distraction / Q000379:methods*; D010155:Palatal Expansion Technique; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000601:surgery*; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D055815:Young Adult