Evaluation of Pharyngeal Airway Volume in Cleft Palate Patients Treated with Differential Opening Expander with Alt-RAMEC Protocol and Facemask

Authors

Sarah S. Khalil, Researcher, Orthodontic Department, BDS (2016), Faculty of Dental Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt, Dentist at The Egyptian Ministry of HealthFollow
Ahmed E. Salama, Professor of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dental Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
Maha M. Mohammad, Assistant professor of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dental Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
Maiada M. Awad, Lecture of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Faculty of Dental Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt

Document Type

Original Study

Abstract

Purpose: Patients with cleft palate undergoing alternate rapid maxillary expansion and constriction (Alt-RAMEC) using an expander with differential opening (EDO) and protractor facemask had their pharyngeal airway volumes measured using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Subjects and Methods: To measure the pharyngeal airway volume before and six months after treatment using CBCT, a sample of eight cleft lip and palate patients aged 8 to 12 years underwent EDO and facemask protraction. Patients were included if they were growing, had mixed dentition, and had their maxillary first permanent molar erupt. Lip repair and palatal closure were performed previously. There was no history of orthopaedic or orthodontic treatment, and both the parent and the patient were extremely cooperative. MIMICS medical (Materialise, Leuven, Belgium) was used for 3D airway analysis. A paired-sample t-test was used to determine the significance of the changes in airway volume. Results: Following Alt-RAMEC and a protraction facemask, there were no appreciable changes in the pharyngeal airway volumes (P-value > 0.05). Before treatment, the oropharyngeal airway volume was 9840.50 mm³, and after treatment, it was 10698.25 mm³. The nasopharyngeal airway volume was 4132.83 mm³, and after treatment, it was 4557.13 mm³. Conclusions: The findings revealed that the effect of facemask protraction and maxillary Alt-RAMEC expansion with EDO on pharyngeal volumes was insignificant.

Keywords

Pharyngeal, airway, Cleft, Expansion, Facemask

How to Cite This Article

Khalil, Sarah S.; Salama, Ahmed E.; Mohammad, Maha M.; and Awad, Maiada M. (2024) "Evaluation of Pharyngeal Airway Volume in Cleft Palate Patients Treated with Differential Opening Expander with Alt-RAMEC Protocol and Facemask," Al-Azhar Journal of Dentistry: Vol. 11: Iss. 2, Article 12.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58675/2974-4164.1617

Subject Area

Pediatric dentistry and orthodontics Issue (Pediatric Dentistry, Orthodontics)