title: Surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion in adults.
abstract: Twelve adults with maxillary width discrepancy of greater than 5 mm were treated by surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion. The procedure consisted of bilateral zygomatic buttress and midpalatal osteotomies combined with the use of a tooth-borne orthopedic device postoperatively. Mean palatal expansion of 7.5 mm (range of 6 to 13 mm), measured in the first molar region, was achieved within 3 weeks in all patients. Expansion remained stable during the 12-month study period, with a mean relapse for the entire group of 0.88 +/- 0.48 mm. Morbidity was limited to mild postoperative discomfort. The results of this preliminary study indicated that surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion is a safe, simple, and reliable procedure for achieving a permanent increase in skeletal maxillary width in adults. Further study is necessary to document the three-dimensional movements of the maxillary segments and long-term stability of the skeletal and dental changes.
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, School of Dentistry.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pogrel
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Kaban
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vargervik
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baumrind
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000601:surgery*; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery*; D010027:Osteotomy; D010155:Palatal Expansion Technique; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome