Evaluation of the condylar and airway position in children with unilateral posterior crossbite before and after treatment with an expansion splint : Part 1

Carolina Rodriguez Manjarres

Universidad del Valle

Jesús Alberto Hernández Silva

Universidad del Valle

Introduction: the etiology of posterior crossbite (PCM) includes dental, skeletal, muscular and functional com-ponents; It may be unilateral or bilateral. The importance of timely treatment is widely recognized and rapid maxillary expansion (ERM) is an alternative to expand the upper dental arch, it generates an improvement in the ventilation conditions of children, improving their quality of life and preventing future medical conditions.

Objective: to observe in ConeBeam computed tomography (CB-CT) changes in condylar position and airway dimensions, before, during and after 6 months of MRE to correct the unilateral posterior crossbite (MCPU).

Methodology: nine patients, 6 to 10 years old, with early mixed dentition, with MCPU, without dental anomalies, were treated with ERM for 3 months and 3 more months of retention; Pre- and post-treatment bimaxillary tomographies were taken to evaluate condylar position and dimensional changes of the airways.

Results: the crossed side presented an increase in the anterior condyle space, a slight decrease in the superior length and a marked decrease in the posterior length between the condyle and the glenoid fossa, showing a posterior displacement, confirming a posterior position, after the MRA was performed. The non-crossed side presented the same behavior. At the level of airway volume, there were no statistically significant changes.

Conclusions: ERM is effective for the treatment of CPM in mixed dentition since it changes the shape of the maxilla, generates changes in condylar position with stable results over time that favor the harmonious deve-lopment of the craniofacial complex.

Keywords: rapid maxillary expansion, unilateral posterior crossbite, condylar position, airway dimension, TC-CB

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Published
2021-10-22
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https://plu.mx/plum/a/?doi=10.16925/2357-4607.2021.01.07