The effects of rapid maxillary expansion on voice function

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effects of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) on vocal function in patients with bilateral maxillary crossbite. Materials and Methods: We designed our research as a prospective, controlled, clinical study. The treatment group and the control group each had 20 subjects for a total of 40 subjects. Acoustic voice samples were recorded from all patients at T 1 and T 2 by the Multi-Dimensional Voice Program (MDVP Model 5105) for acoustic analysis in Computerized Speech Lab (CSL). Results: No statistically significant differences were found between the treatment and control groups in the means of any parameters. Conclusions: RME does not change vocal quality or resonance, so it can be safely used with patients. (Angle Orthod. 2017;87:49-55)

Relationship between voice function and skeletal effects of rapid maxillary expansion

“…33 Although there are five formants for each vowel, two formants, namely F1 and F2, are most commonly used as indicators of vocal quality. 34 Yurttadur et al 20 detected a decrease in the F1 and F2 frequencies after removal of the RME appliance. Sari et al 21 suggested that vowels were affected by the size of the anterior oral cavity in patients who underwent surgically assisted RME.…”

“…13 In the literature, there is a paucity of information about the effect of RME on sound functions. 20 In this study, changes in voice quality and CT images before and after expansion were assessed in pediatric patients who underwent RME to investigate whether RME influenced voice quality.…”

“…36 Liberman et al 37 suggested that the jitter percentage is increased in pathological sounds. In a study on patients aged 12 to 17 years, Yurttadur et al 20 applied RME and found that it did not cause significant changes in F0, jitter or shimmer percentages, NHR, APQ, or RAP parameters because it did not change the voice quality or resonance. It is hypothesized that the broader age interval in that study explains the differences in outcomes.…”

Transverse Skeletal Effects of Rapid Maxillary Expansion in Pre and Post Pubertal Subjects: A Systematic Review

“…Most of the excluded studies [11], [21], [22], [23], [24], [25], [26], [27], [28], [29], [30], [31], [32], [33], [34], [35], [36], [37], [38], [39], [40], [41], [42], [43], [44], [45], [46], [47], [48], [49], [50], [51], [52], [53], [54], [55], [56], [57], [58], [59], [60], [61], [62], [63] divided the samples into treated and untreated control groups according to their chronological age and not according to their skeletal age. Seventeen studies [11], [21], [22], [26], [27], [36], [37], [38], [45], [46], [47], [51], [52], [54], [60], [63], [64], [65] had an untreated control group with normal occlusion or with other types of malocclusions other than posterior crossbites.…”

“…RME has many effects on the nasomaxillary complex other than transverse maxillary expansion and correction of crossbites. Effects of RME were studied on skeletal transverse, vertical and anteroposterior position of the nasomaxillary structures [84], [85], maxillary and mandibular transverse arch dimensions [86], [87], upper airway dimensions [88], [89], bite force, changes in the masticatory cycle and occlusal force distribution [90], swallowing [25] and condylar response [91], [92], [93], changes in head posture and scapular position, natural head position [94], enamel demineralization and white spot lesion formation [23], [57], hearing loss [95], [96], nocturnal enuresis [21], [97], [98], eruption of 3 rd molars [55], Class ll div1 [99], speech and voice function [58], [100], [101], obstructive sleep apnea(102), tongue posture [103] and Holdaway soft tissue analysis [104]. Effects of RME have also been studied on basal bone changes even in the absence of crossbites [105].…”