Effects of rapid maxillary expansion on auditory thresholds and middle ear functioning

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Audiology

Background:

• Transverse maxillary atresia can impact craniofacial development and potentially middle ear function.
• Understanding the audiological effects of orthodontic interventions is crucial for comprehensive patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME) on middle ear function and air-bone gaps in pediatric patients.
• To assess audiological changes at multiple time points during and after RME treatment.

Main Methods:

• A single-arm clinical trial involving 18 children and adolescents undergoing RME.
• Audiological assessments including otoscopy, pure tone/speech audiometry, tympanometry, and acoustic reflex testing were performed at four time points: pre-RME, post-RME, and at 3 and 6 months post-RME completion.

Main Results:

• A progressive reduction in air-bone gaps and improvement in middle ear function were observed throughout the study.
• By three months post-RME, all participants showed normal type A tympanometric curves.
• Six months after RME, air-bone gaps were absent, and acoustic reflexes were present in all patients.

Conclusions:

• Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME) positively influences middle ear function in children and adolescents with transverse maxillary atresia.
• RME leads to a gradual decrease in air-bone gaps, achieving normal audiological parameters.
• The findings support RME as a beneficial treatment for improving audiological status in this population.