Comparison of dimensions and volume of upper airway before and after mini-implant assisted rapid maxillary expansion

To evaluate changes in dimensions and volume of upper airway before and after mini-implant assisted rapid maxillary expansion (MARME) and observe correlations between changes of upper airway and vertical skeletal pattern in young adults.

In this retrospective study, 22 patients (mean age, 22.6 ± 4.5 years; 4 male 18 female) with transverse discrepancy underwent MARME. Cone beam computed tomography was taken before and 3 months after expansion. Vertical and horizontal dimensions and volume of the nasal cavity, nasopharyngeal, retropalatal, retroglossal and hypopharyngeal airway were compared before and after MARME. Correlations between changed volume and dimensions were explored, as well as the vertical skeletal pattern.

Nasal osseous width, maxillary width, volume of the nasal cavity and nasopharynx increased significantly (P < .05). Enlarged nasopharyngeal volume correlated with increased nasal width at the PNS plane (P < .05). There were no correlations between expanded volume and maxillary width. No measurements except nasal cavity volume had a correlation with Sum angle. Increased maxillary width correlated negatively with hard palate thickness (P < .05).

(1) MARME caused an increase in volume of the nasal cavity and nasopharynx, with expansion of nasal osseous width and maxillary width. (2) Enlarged nasal width at the PNS plane contributed to the increase in nasopharynx volume. Enlarged maxillary width showed no direct relation with increased volume. (3) In this study, it was unclear about the association between changes of the upper airway and vertical skeletal pattern because of complex structures. (4) Palate thickness affected skeletal expansion of the maxilla in MARME.