Aim: To evaluate prospectively the upper airway of 16 patients submitted to surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion. Methods: Volumetric tomography acquisitions were done preoperatively (T1) and after six months postoperatively (T2), the slices were obtained from the hard palate to the third cervical vertebra (C3), the images were imported and reconstructed in the Dolphin software for 2D definition of the upper airway. A cephalometric radiograph was generated by the software, the cephalometric points were traced at T1 and T2 for all patients in a dark environment always by the same operator and the Arnett-Gunson FAB Surgery analysis was applied. Results: A statistically significant reduction in area (p=0.03) at the level of the nasopharynx was observed, while at the oropharynx and hypopharynx it showed no statistical difference between T1 and T2. Conclusions: The area in the nasopharynx level presented a statistically significant decrease, however, despite the area decrease at this point, the patients seem to do better, and thus, this area decrease may not be clinically significant.

AIM: To evaluate medical records from patients who had maxillofacial infections between August 2002 and May 2010.METHODS: Analysis of 157 patients' data looking for epidemiology, causes of the infection, type of treatment established and complications.RESULTS: 113 patients had odontogenic infections and 44 had non-odontogenic infections. The white ethnicity was the most affected (64.33%), prevailing the men (53.5%). The odontogenic infections occurred mostly at the mandible (55.74%), involving the posterior teeth (82%). Dental decay was the main etiology (90.90%). The most affected facial anatomic region was the submandibular (42.85%). Surgical treatment was required in 76% of the cases.CONCLUSIONS: Maxillofacial infections should be treated as soon as possible. Even without culture and antibiogram results, it was possible to treat the infection and to reestablish tissue function.