›› 2013, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (5): 602-.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-8115.2013.05.019

• Original article (Basic research) • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Numerical simulation analysis of upper respiratory tract after maxillary restoration

GAI De-qian1, WU Ya-dong2, JIAO Ting1   

  1. 1.Department of Prosthodontics, the Ninth People´s Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China； 2.School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, China
  • Online:2013-05-28 Published:2013-05-28
  • Supported by:

    National Natural Science Foundation of China, 81100774； Shanghai Science and Technology Committee Foundation, 08DZ2271100； Shanghai Key Discipline Construction Project, T0202； Innovation Program of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, 11ZZ102

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Abstract:

Objective To investigate the characteristics of air flow during the inspiratory phase after unilateral maxillary defect restoration by prosthesis with numeric simulation. Methods A patient with unilateral maxillary defect was selected, the upper respiratory tract model after restoration by prosthesis was simulated by means of post-surgery CT data three dimensional reconstruction, and the air flow field was analysed with computer hydrodynamics. Results Numerical simulation illustrated the air flow distribution in upper respiratory tract. The cross section area from the nostril to the pharynx nasalis indicated that there was little difference in the total area between the healthy side and defective side after restoration, and the same condition was found in the average velocity. Conclusion After maxillary defect restoration by prosthesis, the anatomical invalid cavity and the resistance of air flow are reduced, the exposed mucous membrane is protected, and the respiratory function and pronunciation are improved.

Key words: upper respiratory tract, air movement, numerical simulation, fluid dynamics, prosthesis