Objectives

To evaluate nasal septum changes after rapid maxillary expansion (RME) during the mixed dentition and to verify the association between quantitative and qualitative assessments of nasal septum deviation (NSD) by ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists.

Materials and Methods

The sample comprised 24 patients (11 male, 13 female) with a mean age of 7.62 ± 0.92 years with maxillary transverse deficiencies. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were obtained before and after RME. Three CBCT coronal sections passing through the maxillary first molars, 5 mm anterior and 5 mm posterior, were used for quantitative assessment. NSD was calculated using the ratio of nasal cavity height to nasal septum contour. Additionally, five ENT professionals evaluated NSD qualitatively using scores from 1 to 3 through CBCT sequential axial and coronal sections. Absent NSD was scored as zero. Interstage changes were assessed using Wilcoxon tests. Spearman correlation and linear regression were performed to evaluate the association between quantitative and qualitative analyses (P < .05).

Results

No significant change was observed in the NSD ratio. In pre-expansion CBCT images, absence of NSD and scores 1, 2, and 3 for NSD were found for 45.8%, 41.7%, 12.5%, and 0%, respectively. In the qualitative assessment, no significant change in NSD was observed after expansion. A strong association was found between NSD ratio and ENT score (r = 0.750).

Conclusions

In the mixed dentition, no significant change was observed in the NSD ratio. Qualitative analysis of NSD was associated with quantitative assessment of the ratio between nasal septum contour and nasal cavity height.

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Author notes

a

PhD student, Department of Orthodontics, Bauru Dental School, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.

b

Professor, Department of Orthodontics, Bauru Dental School and Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.

c

MSc student, Department of Orthodontics, Bauru Dental School, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.

d

Professor, Department of Orthodontics, Bauru Dental School, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.

e

ENT professional, Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, University of São Paulo, Bauru, Brazil.

f

Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, University of São Paulo, Bauru, Brazil.

g

PhD student, Division of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

h

Professor, Division of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.