Skip Navigation



The European Journal of Orthodontics Advance Access published online on September 12, 2005
The European Journal of Orthodontics, doi:10.1093/ejo/cji064
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (Rapid PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
28/2/126    most recent
cji064v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by McGuinness, N. J.
Right arrow Articles by McDonald, J. P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by McGuinness, N. J.
Right arrow Articles by McDonald, J. P.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Orthodontics Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oupjournals.org.

Article

Changes in natural head position observed immediately and one year after rapid maxillary expansion

Niall J. McGuinness 1* and James P. McDonald 1

1 Department of Orthodontics, Merlin Park Hospital, Galway, Ireland and Bute Medical School, St Andrews University, Fife, Scotland

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Niall J. McGuinness, E-mail: nialljpmcguinness{at}eircom.net


  Abstract

Rapid maxillary expansion (RME) has been shown to increase nasal permeability and reduce nasal airway resistance. A number of studies have examined the relationship between RME and the change in airway resistance, or the relationship between airway resistance and natural head position (NHP). Few studies, to date, have examined the relationship between RME and the change in NHP resulting from the consequent change in airway resistance.

A sample of 43 adolescent patients with uni- or bilateral crossbite in the permanent dentition underwent RME as part of normal orthodontic treatment. Cephalograms in NHP were taken before, immediately after expansion, and one year after RME. No significant changes in the craniofacial angles were observed immediately after expansion. One year post-expansion, however, NSL/VER had reduced by 3.14 degrees (P < 0.01), OPT/HOR by 2.13 degrees (P < 0.05), and CVT/HOR by 2.55 degrees (P < 0.05).

The results of this study suggest an ongoing change in head posture possibly due to a change in the mode of breathing from oral to nasal as a result of RME, thereby contributing to a change in craniofacial development, supporting and adding to the soft tissue stretching hypothesis.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.