Three-dimensional volumetric changes in the upper airway after maxillomandibular advancement in obstructive sleep apnoea patients and the impact on quality of life

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a sleep-related breathing disorder, characterized by repetitive airway obstructions, causing disruptive snoring and daytime sleepiness. Maxillomandibular advancement (MMA), which enlarges the upper airway, is a therapeutic surgical approach. However, no study has performed an upper airway sub-region analysis using validated three-dimensional (3D) anatomical and technical limits on cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Hence, this prospective, observational trial was performed to evaluate 3D volumetric changes in the upper airway according to validated 3D cephalometric landmarks, before and after MMA, for all patients with a polysomnography diagnosis of OSA (apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI) ≥5).

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