Airway compartments volume and oxygen saturation changes after rapid maxillary expansion: a longitudinal correlation...

Area of Science:

• Orthodontics and Dental Sleep Medicine
• Respiratory Physiology

Background:

• Posterior crossbite can lead to airway obstruction.
• Rapid maxillary expansion (RME) is a common orthodontic treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess changes in airway volume and respiratory performance after RME.
• To explore correlations between RME-induced changes and baseline airway stenosis.

Main Methods:

• Fifteen patients (mean age 7.5 years) underwent CBCT and polysomnography before and 12 months after RME.
• Airway segmentation and volume computation were performed.

Main Results:

• Significant increases in upper, middle, and lower airway volumes were observed.
• Oxygen saturation increased by 5.3%, and apnea/hypopnea index improved by -4.2 events.
• Reduced baseline middle and lower airway volumes correlated with greater oxygen saturation improvement.

Conclusions:

• RME improves oxygen saturation in patients with posterior crossbite.
• The positive impact of RME on oxygen saturation is more pronounced in individuals with pre-existing middle and lower airway volume reduction.