title: Repercussions of surgically assisted maxillary expansion on nose width and position of septum and inferior nasal conchae.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to assess the clinical and radiographic repercussions of surgically assisted maxillary expansion on the septum, nasal cavity and nasal conchae. The sample was made up of 15 patients with skeletal maturity (9 females and 6 males between 16 and 45 years of age) and maxillary transverse deficiency. Assessments were performed through anterior rhinoscopy and frontal cephalometric radiographs on three occasions: (T0) preoperative period, (T1) locking of the expander and (T2) six months following the locking procedure. An increase was observed in the basal portion of the pyriform aperture and distances between the lateral wall of the basal portion of the pyriform aperture and the septum. The radiographic exam revealed that the nasal septum did not undergo any statistically significant change in its position. Moreover, no significant changes in the position of the nasal septum or nasal conchae were detected throughout the three evaluation times. The results suggest that surgically assisted maxillary expansion is capable of widening the basal portion of the pyriform aperture, with little repercussion on the anterior position of the nasal septum and inferior nasal conchae.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabrício Souza
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Landim
authors.forename: George Borba
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Andreana Braga
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Malouf
authors.forename: Liana P Carvalho
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Studart
authors.forename: Nelson Studart
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Emanuel Sávio
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: de Souza Andrade
authors.forename: Antônio Figueiredo
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Caubi
authors.forename: José Rodrigues Laureano
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Filho
authors.forename: Emanuel Dias
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Oliveira E Silva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008443:Maxillary Sinus / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009666:Nose / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D055815:Young Adult