Assessment of changes in the nasal airway after nonsurgical miniscrew-assisted rapid maxillary expansion in young adults.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate changes in the volume and cross-sectional area of the nasal airway before and 1 year after nonsurgical miniscrew-assisted rapid maxillary expansion (MARME) in young adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen patients (mean age, 22.7 years; 10 women, four men) with a transverse discrepancy who underwent cone beam computed tomography before (T0), immediately after (T1), and 1 year after (T2) expansion were retrospectively included in this study. The volume of the nasal cavity and nasopharynx and the cross-sectional area of the anterior, middle, and posterior segments of the nasal airway were measured and compared among the three timepoints using paired t-tests. RESULTS: The volume of the nasal cavity showed a significant increase at T1 and T2 ( P < .05), while that of the nasopharynx increased only at T2 ( P < .05). The anterior and middle cross-sectional areas significantly increased at T1 and T2 ( P < .05), while the posterior cross-sectional area showed no significant change throughout the observation period ( P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that the volume and cross-sectional area of the nasal cavity increased after MARME and were maintained at 1 year after expansion. Therefore, MARME may be helpful in expanding the nasal airway.

Cone-beam computed tomography for the assessment of root-crown ratios of the maxillary and mandibular incisors in a Korean population.

OBJECTIVE: This retrospective, cross-sectional study aimed to establish reference data for normal crown and root lengths and the root-crown ratios (R/C ratios) for the mature maxillary and mandibular incisors in a Korean population by using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). METHODS: We included 672 Korean patients (141 men and 531 women; mean age, 27.2 ± 7.7 years) who underwent CBCT examinations during various dental treatments. Crown and root lengths and the R/C ratios of the maxillary and mandibular incisors were measured using CBCT data, which were analyzed to detect significant differences between demographic factors as well as sagittal and vertical skeletal or occlusal relationships. RESULTS: Teeth of the same type in each half-arch were symmetrical. The mean R/C ratios varied from 1.1 to 1.2 for the maxillary incisors and from 1.3 to 1.4 for the mandibular incisors. Crown and root lengths were greater in men than in women, regardless of tooth type. Root lengths and R/C ratios for the mandibular incisors were significantly greater in patients with skeletal Class II malocclusion or an excessive overjet than in the other patients. The R/C ratios for the mandibular incisors were lower in patients with an open bite than in those with a normal or deep bite. Moreover, the R/C ratios for the mandibular incisors increased with age. CONCLUSIONS: The data obtained in our study can serve as reference values for crown and root lengths and the R/C ratios for the maxillary and mandibular incisors in the Korean population.