Impact of Rapid Maxillary Expansion on children's respiratory pattern: a longitudinal evaluation using patient-centered measures

• Grant number: 25/25042-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2026
• End date: December 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Orthodontics
• Principal Investigator: Silvia Amélia Scudeler Vedovello
• Grantee: Maria Fernanda Zaccharias Okuyama
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba (FOP). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Due to Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME) 's potential to widen airways and improve nasal breathing, this approach can serve as an adjunct to therapies for obstructive respiratory diseases. In this context, the present study aims to evaluate the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) development in children before and after RME, using patient-centered measures. This is a longitudinal clinical study that will include 30 children in the mixed dentition stage, diagnosed with unilateral or bilateral posterior crossbite and/or maxillary atresia, treated with a Hyrax-type expander. The risk for sleep-disordered breathing will be assessed using the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ), at three time points: T0 (baseline, before appliance placement), T1 (at the locking of the expansion screw, end of the active phase), and T2 (3 months after placement, in the passive phase). Data will be subjected to descriptive and inferential analyses, employing mixed linear models for repeated measures, with a significance level of 5%. It is expected to observe a reduction in PSQ scores after treatment, suggesting a possible improvement in respiratory function and a reduced risk of OSA in childhood. (AU)