The Effect Of Rapid Maxillary Expansion On Children’s Nasal Soft Tissue

Objective：After Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME), with the change ofthe teeth and maxillary hard tissue, the soft tissue of maxillofacial wouldchange at the same time. Some scholars thought that this change will cause thenasal shape change. On the other hand, other scholars argue that this change istemporary, it has little influence on the patients with facial soft tissue. Thepurpose of this study is that by measuring the RME after nasal of immediateand long-term location changes, to understand RME’s influence on children’snasal shape.Methods: The RME group consisted of16patients (8males and8females) who underwent RME treatment,mean age was11.4years. At thesame time, chose20patients (10males and10females) who was notundergoing RME or any other treatment that promoted or restricted themaxilla as nomal growing group, mean age was10.6years. The researcherused the Electronic Vernier caliper to measure the width of the patients’ nasal,meanwhile. Three width measurements: Nasal alar width (WAA), Alar basewidth (WAB), Inner canthus width.In order to ensure the accuracy of the measurement of the nasal height,WinCeph cephalometrics software was used to measure the patients’ nasalheight on cephalometrical films. Nose marked points from top to bottom inturn:S1: The center of the sella S point on the X axis and nasal soft tissueimage contour point;S2: Nasal bone high point E with nasal soft tissue on the X axis parallelto the outer contour of the intersection;TN: Nasal tip point;Cm: Columella point; SN: Subnasal point;TUL: Upper lip edge point.By markers do perpendicular to the Y axis, mark point and the distancebetween the pedal as height measurement.Use SPSS13.0statistical software to analyze the results. Paired t test wasused for the change of nasal width and height in each time period within thegroup of RME and control group. Independent samples t test was used for thechange of nasal width and height in corresponding period of RME and controlgroup.Results:1Before and after RME treatment comparison of the nasal width1.1The nasal width changes from T0-T11.1.1RME group: WAA increased1.04±0.21mm (P<0.05). WABincreased1.11±0.38mm (P<0.05). C increased0.08±0.19mm (P>0.05).1.1.2Control group: WAA decreased0.01±0.03mm (P>0.05). WABincreased0.00±0.05mm (P>0.05). C increased0.01±0.03mm (P>0.05).1.2The nasal width changes from T0-T21.2.1RME group: WAA increased0.94±0.32mm (P<0.05). WABincreased1.00±0.44mm (P<0.05). C increased0.08±0.31mm (P>0.05).1.2.2Control group: WAA increased0.25±0.16mm (P<0.05). WABincreased0.28±0.23mm (P<0.05). C increased0.00±0.12mm (P>0.05).1.3The nasal width changes from T0-T31.3.1RME group: WAA increased1.17±0.28mm (P<0.05). WABincreased1.17±0.42mm (P<0.05). C increased0.04±0.29mm (P>0.05).1.3.2Control group: WAA increased0.52±0.18mm (P<0.05). WABincreased0.56±0.19mm (P<0.05). C decreased0.00±0.12mm (P>0.05).2Before and after RME treatment comparison of the nasal height2.1The nasal height changes from T0-T1RME group: H(S1) increased0.17±0.43mm (P>0.05). H(S2) increased0.01±0.36mm (P>0.05). H(TN) decreased0.66±2.67mm (P>0.05). H(Cm) decreased1.12±4.37mm (P>0.05). H(SN) decreased0.08±0.71mm (P>0.05).H(TUL) decreased0.41±2.68mm (P>0.05).2.2The nasal height changes from T0-T2RME group: H(S1) increased0.88±0.49mm (P<0.05). H(S2) increased1.06±1.19mm (P<0.05). H(TN) increased1.12±0.69mm (P<0.05). H(Cm)increased0.68±0.64mm (P<0.05). H(SN) increased0.81±1.36mm (P<0.05).H(TUL) increased1.24±4.00mm (P>0.05).2.3The nasal height changes from T0-T32.3.1RME group: H(S1) increased1.47±0.43mm (P<0.05). H(S2)increased1.56±.071mm (P<0.05). H(TN) increased1.88±0.61mm (P<0.05).H(Cm) increased1.43±0.67mm (P<0.05). H(SN) increased1.39±0.90mm(P<0.05). H(TUL) increased2.11±3.00mm (P<0.05).2.3.2Control group: H(S1) increased1.21±0.80mm (P<0.05). H(S2)increased1.07±.1.12mm (P<0.05). H(TN) increased1.84±0.91mm (P<0.05).H(Cm) increased1.89±0.89mm (P<0.05). H(SN) increased1.63±0.89mm(P<0.05). H(TUL) increased2.30±3.55mm (P<0.05).Conclusion:1During RME treatment, at the end of the expanding, there was a smallincrease in patients’ nasal soft tissue width, nasal height had not changed.After the retention period of3months, RME patients’ nasal soft tissue widthgrowth trend were the same as the control group children. And after theretention period of6months, the changes of RME patients’ soft tissue heightwere nearly the same with the control group children.2RME treatment won’t produce long-term effect on the children’s nasalsoft tissue shape.