Skeletal and dentoalveolar changes after miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion in young adults: A cone-beam computed tomography study

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the skeletal and dentoalveolar changes after miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) in young adults by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). METHODS This retrospective study included 14 patients (mean age, 20.1 years; range, 16-26 years) with maxillary transverse deficiency treated with MARPE. Skeletal and dentoalveolar changes were evaluated using CBCT images acquired before and after expansion. Statistical analyses were performed using paired t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test according to normality of the data. RESULTS The midpalatal suture was separated, and the maxilla exhibited statistically significant lateral movement (p < 0.05) after MARPE. Some of the landmarks had shifted forwards or upwards by a clinically irrelevant distance of less than 1 mm. The amount of expansion decreased in the superior direction, with values of 5.5, 3.2, 2.0, and 0.8 mm at the crown, cementoenamel junction, maxillary basal bone, and zygomatic arch levels, respectively (p < 0.05). The buccal bone thickness and height of the alveolar crest had decreased by 0.6-1.1 mm and 1.7-2.2 mm, respectively, with the premolars and molars exhibiting buccal tipping of 1.1°-2.9°. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that MARPE is an effective method for the correction of maxillary transverse deficiency without surgery in young adults.