Palatal expansion for the airway is getting a lot of attention, but there are also many fallacies and incorrect assumptions by the orthodontic audience and the general public. We as orthodontists often consider expansion to be “Bigger is Better”, but we need to understand the inter-anatomical relationship between hard tissues and soft tissues and their interaction with the physiology and behavior of the airway.
Our presentation will discuss the underlying mechanisms of anatomical changes to the palate which influence the pathophysiology of OSA showing many clinical cases ranging from infancy to the elderly age group to visually illustrate the differences in expanders. This presentation will be supported by recent publications and clinical data is compiled from independent collaborative projects with UCLA, UOP, UCSF, Stanford Sleep Surgery Clinic, and Tufts Sleep Medicine research groups.
Learning Objectives:
After this lecture, attendees will be able to:
Understand the relationship between anatomical factors and the physiology of sleep-disordered breathing.
Define why early diagnosis and treatment of sleep disordered breathing is imperative for children’s growth and development.
Understand when and how; selection and design of maxillary expander in the right place at the right timing.
