Abstract
Background: Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME) aims to re-establish balance between the widths of the jaws. It is mainly utilized to treat skeletal and dental manifestations associated with transverse maxillary constriction and to improve facial structures involving the nasal cavity. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate parents’ perceptions of breathing pattern changes after their child had undergone RME and the associated effects on sleep quality and fatigue. We also evaluated nasal cavity changes in three dimensions in six randomly selected patients. Methods: Ninety-one children aged 5-13 years with transverse maxillary deficiency and no major systemic diseases or syndromes were recruited. Their parents completed a 16-item questionnaire pre-treatment and 6 months post-treatment. The questionnaire included items pertaining to changes in (1) sleep apnea and breathing patterns, (2) sleep quality and fatigue, and (3) behavior. The cone beam computed tomography scans from six randomly chosen patients were also subjected to stereolithographic reconstruction of the midface pre-RME and post-RME. Results: Responses in the three domains exhibited good reliability. Significant improvements were observed in 59% of the items post vs. pre-RME. The overall rates of dry mouth in the morning, snoring half of the time, and heavy breathing decreased by ≥30%. The percentage change in headache in the morning, snoring loudly, and snoring half of the time was >80%. In addition, in the series of six cases, the mean difference in nasal cavity area post-RME was 4.1 mm2. Conclusion: Post-RME, parents perceived that their children exhibited improved behavior and were less fatigued during the day. Enhanced sleep quality and breathing patterns were also observed, but to a lesser extent.
Highlights
Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME), known as palatal expansion, is a surgical procedure that splits the mid-palatal suture and moves the maxillary shelves away from each other to re-establish balance between the widths of the jaws
In a prospective longitudinal study reported by Magnusson et al [12], in 2010, while there were significant improvements in nasal obstruction after RME, these improvements only persisted in the long term in subjects with initial nasal obstruction
We summarized the rates of each symptom the parents reported within each domain before and after RME, and McNemar’s test was used to compare the data due to the paired study design
Summary
Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME), known as palatal expansion, is a surgical procedure that splits the mid-palatal suture and moves the maxillary shelves away from each other to re-establish balance between the widths of the jaws. Using CBCT or cephalometric analyses, several reports have noted changes in the nasal airways that are attributable to RME [2, 16]. Doruk et al [13], evaluated nasal airways after RME and reported that 59% of patients in their study exhibited improved nasal breathing, while 41% reported no change. Langer et al [17], reported that the effects of RME on breathing were not significant in the short term and that while significant improvements were observed after 30 months, these may have been due to ongoing facial growth. It is mainly utilized to treat skeletal and dental manifestations associated with transverse maxillary constriction and to improve facial structures involving the nasal cavity
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
