@Article{mcb.2023.029107,
AUTHOR = {Haoran Xu, Shuai Chen, Xue Song, Jingying Wang},
TITLE = {Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Upper Airway Changes after Protraction Headgear and Rapid Maxillary Expansion Treatment},
JOURNAL = {Molecular \& Cellular Biomechanics},
VOLUME = {20},
YEAR = {2023},
NUMBER = {1},
PAGES = {15--22},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/mcb/v20n1/53169},
ISSN = {1556-5300},
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 (<i>p</i> < 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.},
DOI = {10.32604/mcb.2023.029107}
}