Upper airway changes after rapid maxillary expansion: three-dimensional analyses

The objective of this study was to evaluate volumetric changes in the upper airway using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) in orthodontic patients with maxillary transversal hypoplasia undergoing maxillary disjunction. The influence of factors such as sex, age, and growth pattern on airway volumetric changes was also assessed. The sample consisted of 50 growing patients from the dental clinic of Cardenal Herrera CEU University of Valencia. Airway volume was measured in mm3 before treatment (T0) and after palatal disjunction (T1). The final sample included 37 subjects in the treatment group and 13 in the control group. The volume gained exclusively from the disjunction treatment was determined to differentiate it from natural growth. The control group showed a mean volume increase from 10,911.3 ± 1,249.6 mm3 to 13,168.9 ± 1,789.7 mm3, representing a mean increase of 2,257.6 mm3 or + 20.9%. The treatment group exhibited an increase from 14,126.3 ± 4,399.8 mm3 at T0 to 18,064.1 ± 4,565.9 mm3 at T1, corresponding to a gain of 3,937.8 mm3 or + 31.8%. Significant differences in airway volume were observed after palatal disjunction compared to the control group. The expansion of the maxilla led to a significant increase in airway volume in the treated patients, estimated at 5,183 mm3 (+ 41.5%).