Open Access

ARTICLE

Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Upper Airway Changes after Protraction Headgear and Rapid Maxillary Expansion Treatment

Haoran Xu¹, Shuai Chen^2,*, Xue Song^1,3, Jingying Wang^1,*

1 School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250061, China
2 Department of Orthodontics, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University & Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration, Jinan, 250012, China
3 Department of Ultrasound, Jinan Central Hospital, Jinan, 250000, China

* Corresponding Authors: Jingying Wang. Email: ; Shuai Chen. Email:

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics 2023, 20(1), 15-22. https://doi.org/10.32604/mcb.2023.029107

Received 01 February 2023; Accepted 23 February 2023; Issue published 20 June 2023

Abstract

Clinically, it is common for Class III patients with maxillary skeletal deficiency, which may result in a variety of adverse consequences. Protraction headgear and rapid maxillary expansion (PE) is an effective treatment, but its effect on upper airway hydrodynamics has not been reported. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes of the flow in the upper airway after PE by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The sample includes fifteen patients (6 males, 9 females, age 11.00 ± 1.00) and the paired T-test was used to analyze the differences between the measured data before and after treatment. The maximum flow velocity decreased from 8.42 ± 0.16 m/s to 6.98 ± 0.36 m/s (p < 0.05), and the maximum shear force decreased from 3.72 ± 1.48 Pa to 2.13 ± 0.18 Pa. The maximum negative pressure decreased from −101.78 ± 33.60 Pa to 58.15 ± 9.16 Pa, only the changes of velopharynx and glossopharynx were statistically significant; while the maximum resistance decreased from 140.88 ± 68.68 Pa/mL/s to 45.95 ± 22.96 Pa/mL/s. PE can effectively reduce the airflow resistance of the upper airway and the probability of airway collapse, thus improving the patient’s ventilation function.

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Graphical Abstract

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Keywords

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