Effects of rapid maxillary expansion on auditory thresholds and middle ear functioning.

Abstract

Purpose: To ascertain whether Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME) elicits effects on the functioning of the middle ear and air-bone gaps in children and adolescents.

Methods: Single-arm clinical trial, with data collection at four time points: before initiating Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME) (T0), upon completion of RME (T1), three months post-RME completion (T2), and six months post-RME procedure (T3). The audiological assessment, conducted at all four time points, comprised otoscopy, pure tone and speech audiometry, tympanometry, and acoustic reflex investigation.

Results: Eighteen children and adolescents met the eligibility criteria. There was a reduction in air-bone gaps and an improvement in middle ear function throughout the follow-up period, between T0, T1, T2, and T3. Three months after the completion of RME, at T2, all patients exhibited type A tympanometric curves, and six months after RME, at T3, there was an absence of air-bone gaps and ipsilateral and contralateral acoustic reflexes present in the entire sample.

Conclusion: In the studied sample, it was observed that Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME) led to a gradual reduction in air-bone gaps, resulting in appropriate middle ear function in children and adolescents with transverse maxillary atresia.