Nasal Floor Augmentation: Retrospective Observations for Nasal Passage Volume and Breathing Function

The rehabilitation of the atrophic maxilla poses a significant challenge, especially in cases with limited bone height. Nasal floor augmentation has been proposed to improve bone height in the anterior maxilla. However, its effects on nasal function and passage volume have not been thoroughly investigated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the correlation between nasal passage volume changes and patient-reported nasal obstruction after nasal floor augmentation using the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale. This retrospective study included patients undergoing iliac bone grafting and nasal floor augmentation for the rehabilitation of severely atrophic maxilla. Nasal passage volume alterations were measured using cone beam computerized tomography, and nasal function was assessed using the NOSE scale. The correlation between NOSE scores and volume changes was analyzed. A total of 12 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean bone height increase was 5.70 ± 3.75 mm, and the mean nasal passage volume decrease ratio was 17.73% ± 18.23%. The findings demonstrated a significant correlation between NOSE scores and nasal passage volume alteration (Spearman rank correlation; ρ = .889; 95% CI [0.732, 0.960]; P < .001); however, no significant correlation was found between NOSE scores and bone height alterations (Spearman rank correlation, ρ = -.129; 95% CI [-0.736, 0.457]; P = .689). The results suggest that changes in nasal passage volume may influence patient-reported breathing function more than bone height increase. Whereas a correlation was observed, causality cannot be inferred due to the study's retrospective nature and the limited sample size. Nevertheless, these findings provide preliminary evidence pointing to the potential importance of careful surgical planning to minimize volume reduction during nasal floor augmentation. Further prospective studies with larger and more diverse sample sizes must validate these results and strengthen the conclusions.