Changes in nasal cavity volume and intercanine width following rapid maxillary expansion: is there a correlation?

Büşra Özal Güneş; Türkan Sezen Erhamza; Perihan Dalgalı; Alaattin Tekeli

Changes in nasal cavity volume and intercanine width following rapid maxillary expansion: is there a correlation?

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in nasal cavity volume and maxillary intercanine width following rapid maxillary expansion (RME) and to investigate whether a relationship exists between these two parameters. Methods: This retrospective study included patients with transverse maxillary deficiency treated with a Hyrax-type RME appliance. Nasal cavity volume was evaluated using acoustic rhinometry, a non-invasive method commonly used to assess nasal cavity dimensions, while maxillary intercanine width was measured on dental casts using a digital caliper with 0.01-mm accuracy. Measurements were performed before expansion (T0) and after the retention period (T1). Pre- and post-treatment changes were analyzed using paired t-tests, and the association between changes in nasal cavity volume and intercanine width was evaluated using Pearson correlation analysis. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Following RME, nasal cavity volume increased significantly (p<0.05). A significant post-treatment increase was also observed in maxillary intercanine width (p<0.05). However, no statistically significant correlation could be demonstrated between changes in nasal cavity volume and maxillary intercanine width within the present sample (r=0.26, p=0.31). Conclusion: RME significantly increased both nasal cavity volume and maxillary intercanine width. However, a statistically significant correlation between these changes could not be demonstrated within the present sample, suggesting that dental transverse expansion may not reliably predict nasal airway improvement.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

Ethical approval for this retrospective study was obtained from the Kırıkkale University Non-Interventional Research Ethics Committee (decision number: 2026.02.13). All procedures were conducted in accordance with institutional guidelines, and written informed consent for the use of clinical records for scientific purposes was obtained from all patients or their legal guardians at the time of treatment.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Büşra Özal Güneş ^*
0009-0007-7987-8973
Türkiye

Türkan Sezen Erhamza
0000-0001-9540-9906
Türkiye

Perihan Dalgalı
0000-0002-1469-6729
Türkiye

Alaattin Tekeli
0009-0002-0366-1659
Türkiye

Publication Date

June 25, 2026

Submission Date

March 3, 2026

Acceptance Date

June 15, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 7 Number: 3

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA94SN87AF

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Özal Güneş, B., Sezen Erhamza, T., Dalgalı, P., & Tekeli, A. (2026). Changes in nasal cavity volume and intercanine width following rapid maxillary expansion: is there a correlation? Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care, 7(3), 575-579. https://izlik.org/JA94SN87AF

AMA

1.Özal Güneş B, Sezen Erhamza T, Dalgalı P, Tekeli A. Changes in nasal cavity volume and intercanine width following rapid maxillary expansion: is there a correlation? J Med Palliat Care / JOMPAC / jompac. 2026;7(3):575-579. https://izlik.org/JA94SN87AF

Chicago

Özal Güneş, Büşra, Türkan Sezen Erhamza, Perihan Dalgalı, and Alaattin Tekeli. 2026. “Changes in Nasal Cavity Volume and Intercanine Width Following Rapid Maxillary Expansion: Is There a Correlation?”. Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care 7 (3): 575-79. https://izlik.org/JA94SN87AF.

EndNote

Özal Güneş B, Sezen Erhamza T, Dalgalı P, Tekeli A (June 1, 2026) Changes in nasal cavity volume and intercanine width following rapid maxillary expansion: is there a correlation? Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care 7 3 575–579.

IEEE

[1]B. Özal Güneş, T. Sezen Erhamza, P. Dalgalı, and A. Tekeli, “Changes in nasal cavity volume and intercanine width following rapid maxillary expansion: is there a correlation?”, J Med Palliat Care / JOMPAC / jompac, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 575–579, June 2026, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA94SN87AF

ISNAD

Özal Güneş, Büşra - Sezen Erhamza, Türkan - Dalgalı, Perihan - Tekeli, Alaattin. “Changes in Nasal Cavity Volume and Intercanine Width Following Rapid Maxillary Expansion: Is There a Correlation?”. Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care 7/3 (June 1, 2026): 575-579. https://izlik.org/JA94SN87AF.

JAMA

1.Özal Güneş B, Sezen Erhamza T, Dalgalı P, Tekeli A. Changes in nasal cavity volume and intercanine width following rapid maxillary expansion: is there a correlation? J Med Palliat Care / JOMPAC / jompac. 2026;7:575–579.

MLA

Özal Güneş, Büşra, et al. “Changes in Nasal Cavity Volume and Intercanine Width Following Rapid Maxillary Expansion: Is There a Correlation?”. Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care, vol. 7, no. 3, June 2026, pp. 575-9, https://izlik.org/JA94SN87AF.

Vancouver

1.Büşra Özal Güneş, Türkan Sezen Erhamza, Perihan Dalgalı, Alaattin Tekeli. Changes in nasal cavity volume and intercanine width following rapid maxillary expansion: is there a correlation? J Med Palliat Care / JOMPAC / jompac [Internet]. 2026 Jun. 1;7(3):575-9. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA94SN87AF