Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the airway changes after maxillary expansion and protraction using modified Tandem
Appliance versus facemask appliance in cleft lip and palate patients using cone beam CT. Patients and methods: Twenty Egyptian
growing children (10 boys and 10 girls) with cleft lip and palate patients with deficient maxilla ranging in age from 6 to 11 years
(mean = 9ys, SD =1.2ys) from the outpatient clinic of Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Minia University (Minia,
Egypt) were divided into two group, group A was treated with maxillary expansion and protraction with facemask appliance and
group B was treated with maxillary expansion and protraction with modified tandem appliance. For airway assessment, CBCT
changed into received pre - and post-treatment. Results: There was a significant rise in airway width change in face mask group
compared with modified tandem appliance group, while airway depth change showed insignificant difference between the two
groups. Regarding nasal width change, there was an insignificant difference between the two groups. Conclusion: The results
showed that the pharyngeal airway and nasal width are significantly affected by maxillary expansion and protraction using facemask
and adjusted tandem appliance.
Keywords: facemask, cone beam, Cleft lip and palate, maxillary expansion