Introduction: An obstruction of the upper airway causes frequent breathing pauses during sleep. Quality of sleep might be disturbed and oxygen levels lowered by these halts. While often associated with adults, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) also affects children and can lead to delayed growth, behavioral problems, learning difficulties, and cardiovascular or neurological complications. In children, specific craniofacial features such as high-arched palate, mandibular hypoplasia, or retrognathia may increase the risk of airway collapse during sleep. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate volumetric changes in the nasopharynx, oropharynx, velopharynx, and hypopharynx in OSA patients before and after rapid maxillary expansion (RME) using cone-beam computed tomography. Materials and Methods: A total of 14 individuals aged 6–16 years who required RME for their orthodontic treatment were selected. The pediatric sleep questionnaire was used to assess the cases’ risk of excessive daytime sleepiness, a symptom of pediatric OSA. Results: Results showed that there was a considerable increase in cross-sectional area posterior to the hard palate as well as bone expansion following RME. Statistical analysis was performed using the paired t -test to evaluate changes in quantitative clinical parameters before and after intervention, with significance defined at P ≤ 0.05. The paired t -test ( P ≤ 0.05) revealed significant enhancements in intermolar width (2.9 mm, P = 0.002) and molar tilting ( P = 0.001). Total airway volume increased from 678.6 to 981.06 mm 3 ( P = 0.06), with lower nasopharyngeal ( P = 0.001) and both upper and lower velopharyngeal volumes ( P = 0.001) demonstrating highly significant improvements. Conclusion: RME expands constricted upper jaw in growing patients, significantly boosts nasal and nasopharyngeal airway volume, often reducing apnea-hypopnea index and snoring, and may improve sleep quality, though larger long-term studies are still needed.
Pawar et al. (Tue,) studied this question.