Upper airway changes after Xbow appliance therapy evaluated with cone beam computed tomography

Area of Science:

• Orthodontics
• Craniofacial imaging
• Airway analysis

Background:

• Class II malocclusion often presents with compromised upper airway dimensions.
• Orthodontic treatment aims to correct skeletal and dental discrepancies while considering airway effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of the Xbow appliance on upper airway dimensions and volume using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).
• To evaluate cephalometric changes in skeletal and dental structures in Class II patients treated with the Xbow appliance.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 25 Class II patients (mean age 11.1 ± 1.1 years) underwent CBCT imaging before treatment (T0) and after Xbow appliance removal (T1).

Main Results:

• Statistically significant increases were observed in superior, middle, and inferior oropharyngeal dimensions and overall oropharyngeal airway volume.
• Favorable skeletal changes included improvements in SNA, SNB, ANB, maxillary depth angles, and point A-NPg and Co-B distances, indicating effective Class II correction.
• Dental changes involved maxillary incisor palatal tipping and extrusion, mandibular incisor labial tipping, and mesial movement and extrusion of mandibular molars.

Conclusions:

• The Xbow appliance effectively enhances oropharyngeal airway dimensions and volume in Class II patients.
• Further research with larger cohorts and control groups is recommended to validate these findings.