Skeletal and dentoalveolar changes in the transverse dimension using microimplant-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) appliances

Conventional rapid palatal expansion (RPE) has been proven to be a reliable treatment for correcting transverse maxillary deficiency in young patients. However, side effects including dental tipping and risk of periodontal problem limited its application to young patients after the pubertal growth spurt. Surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion (SARPE), a supplement to RPE, could be applied in skeletally mature patients. However, SARPE was an invasive method, and the morbidity, risks and cost related to surgical treatment might discourage many adult patients. The use of Microimplant-Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion (MARPE) appliance, which can potentially avoid surgical intervention, is gaining popularity in treatment of maxillary transverse deficiency (MTD) in young adolescent patients. However, the literature on the skeletal and dentoalveolar changes with this appliance is scarce. To evaluate the immediate skeletal and dentoalveolar changes in the transverse dimension with the maxillary skeletal expander (MSE), a MARPE appliance with hybrid anchorage, using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Twenty-two patients (11 males and 11 females, mean age 14.97 ± 6.16 years) with transverse maxillary deficiency were treated using the MSE (Biomaterials Korea, Inc., Seoul, Korea). The appliance consisted of a central expansion screw that were welded to four tubes that served as guides for microimplant placement. The microimplants were 1.8 mm in diameter and 11 mm in length. The longer length of microimplants permitted bicortical engagement of the palatal and nasal floor, reducing the force transmitted to the anchored teeth during expansion. The appliance activation varied with age and skeletal maturity of the patient. The expansion was terminated when 2–3 mm of overexpansion was achieved. CBCT scans were taken before treatment (T1) and immediately after expansion (T2). Measurements were taken to evaluate the amount of total expansion, skeletal expansion, and angular dental tipping at the first molar region. A total expansion of 5.41 ± 2.18 mm was achieved, 59.23 ± 17.75% of which was attributed to skeletal expansion (3.15 ± 1.64 mm) with the first molars exhibiting buccal tipping of 2.56 ± 2.64°. The use of MARPE appliances such as MSE can be used to correct transverse maxillary deficiency in adolescent patients with minimal dentoalveolar side effects.