Long-term adaptations to changes in the transverse dimension in children and adolescents: an overview.

ge Can the transverse dimensions of the dental arches be widened in a stable fashion over the long term? This question continues to challenge clinicians and researchers. Most orthodontists cite the correction of crossbite as the primary reason for altering the transverse dimension with rapid maxillary expansion (RME). A less obvious but more common orthodontic problem, whose etiology in part is related to imbalances in the transverse dimension, is a discrepancy between tooth size and arch size. The most frequently observed type of malocclusion in routine orthodontic practice is dental crowding, an underlying imbalance between aggregate tooth size and available arch perimeter. This relationship also might be expressed clinically as protrusion and flaring of the teeth relative to the underlying basal bone. Proposed solutions include extraction, interproximal reduction, and orthodontic and orthopedic expansion of the dental arches. 2