Effects of reverse headgear on pharyngeal airway in patients with different vertical craniofacial features

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of reverse headgear (RH) on pharyngeal airway morphology in two groups of Class III patients with different vertical craniofacial features in comparison with an untreated Class III group. Seventeen subjects (9 males, 8 females; mean age 11.3 ± 0.98 years) with optimum vertical growth and 17 subjects (10 males, 7 females, mean age 11.5 ± 1.1 years) with a vertical growth pattern treated with a removable intra-oral appliance and a Delaire type facemask were included. An untreated Class III control group of 11 subjects (8 males, 3 females, mean age 9.1 ± 1.1 years) was included to compare the treated groups. The paired t-test for intragroup and one-way ANOVA for intergroup comparisons were performed. The relationships between changes in the craniofacial morphology and airway were assessed by Spearman correlation analysis. The airway dimensions at the adenoid side and soft palate were increased in the treatment groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The nasopharyngeal area demonstrated a significant difference in normodivergent and control subjects (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found in the airway morphology due to different vertical features. The effect of RH treatment on the sagittal airway dimensions revealed no significant difference between different vertical craniofacial features in the short term.

Pharyngeal airway changes following maxillary expansion or protraction: A meta‐analysis

“…To the best of our knowledge, no meta‐analysis has evaluated the pharyngeal airway space changes, either 2D or 3D, after RME and/or FM protraction treatment(s). Studies with 2D evaluation found that RME/FM is significantly related to the upper pharyngeal airway . In the present study, our results indicated that the patients who received RME/FM therapy were more likely to have an increased upper pharyngeal airway than those untreated in the control group (Figure ).…”

“…In this meta‐analysis, nine studies were included for analysis . Using Review Manager Version 5.3 software (Copenhagen: The Nordic Cochrane Centre, The Cochrane Collaboration, 2014), the mean difference and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.…”

“…Rapid maxillary expansion (RME) and facemask (FM) maxillary protraction therapy have been widely accepted in early orthodontic treatment for young patients with maxillary transverse and midface deficiency . RME and FM were further introduced as a treatment option for increasing the pharyngeal airway dimension and diversifying the paradigms of clinical orthodontic treatment . In addition, RME and FM were found to exert secondary treatment effects by increasing the pharyngeal airway dimension.…”

“…In addition, RME and FM were found to exert secondary treatment effects by increasing the pharyngeal airway dimension. However, several studies used only FM, some performed only RME, and other studies conducted FM in combination with RME …”

Evaluation of sagittal airway dimensions after face mask therapy with rapid maxillary expansion in Class III growing patients

“…A skeletal change that can occur from orthopedic treatment of Class III malocclusion is the alteration of the size of airway [7,8]. Several studies [6,[9][10][11] evaluated the effects of FM appliances with or without rapid maxillary expansion (RME) on the oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal dimensions with controversial results. The major limitation of all these studies is the short-term nature of the observations.…”