Is there any difference between alterations in the nasal cavity amplitude after slow and rapid maxillary expansion?

Vol. 13 – Number 50 – 2020 Original article Page 89-96 Is there any difference between alterations in the nasal cavity amplitude after slow and rapid maxillary expansion? Ana Helena Machado1 Juliana da Silva Pereira Andriani2 Helder Baldi Jacob3 Mariane Cardoso4 Gerson Luiz Ulema Ribeiro5 Abstract Introduction: The purpose of this retrospective clinical study was to evaluate the effects in nasal cavity and maxillary sinus of the Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME) and the Slow Maxillary Expansion (SME) in mixed dentition patients using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT). Material and Methods: Thirty-nine children between 7-10 years old were allocated into two groups: RME (n=20) and SME (n=19). Both groups received the same amount of expansion (8mm), but with different protocols (RME=0.4mm/day and SME=0.4mm/week). Three different areas of the nasal cavity were evaluated: Anterior (ANC), Intermediate (INC), and Posterior (PNC). Student t-test and paired t-test were applied to comparison between and within group changes. Scheffé post hoc test and two-way ANOVA were used for multiple comparisons within each group. Results:Both Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME) and Slow Maxillary Expansion (SME) promoted widening of the nasal cavity. Although not significant, RME presented larger widening from anterior to posterior areas of the nasal cavity (ANC=2.23mm, INC=1.73mm, e PNC=1.54mm). None of the groups showed significant alterations in the maxillary sinus amplitude. Conclusions: Maxillary expansion promotes widening in the nasal cavity amplitude in Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME) and Slow Maxillary Expansion (SME). Descriptors: Palatal expansion technique, mixed dentition, nasal cavity, maxillary sinus. 1 Specialist in Orthodontics – UFSC. 2 Master in Orthodontics – UFSC, Student of the Postgraduate Program in Dentistry – UFSC. 3 Master and Doctor – UNESP Araraquara, Assistant Professor – Department of Orthodontics UTHealth – The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. 4 Master and Doctor in Pediatric Dentistry – UFSC, Post-Doctorate / FOB-USP, Associate Professor 1, Department of Dentistry – UFSC. 5 Master and Doctor in Dentistry – UFRJ, Associate Professor in the Department of Dentistry at the Federal University of Santa Catarina – UFSC.