Nonsurgical rapid maxillary expansion effects on craniofacial structures in young adult females. A bone scintigraphy study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the skeletal effects of nonsurgical rapid maxillary expansion (RME) on craniofacial structures with bone scintigraphy in young adult female subjects.


METHODS
The material of the present study consists of scintigraphic records taken from 17 early adult females treated with RME. All patients had a bilateral posterior crossbite, transverse maxillary deficiency, deep palatal vault, and dental crowding at the beginning of the treatment. The age range of the patients was 16.1 to 18.8 years, and the mean age was 17.3 +/- 0.86 years. Bone scintigraphy records were obtained before RME (T1), during the splitting of the midpalatal suture (T2), and after the end of active widening period (T3). Repeated measure analysis of variance was used to assess the differences between the periods. In addition, Bonferroni multiple comparison tests were applied to the measurements at which F values were found to be statistically significant.


RESULTS
According to the statistical analysis, significant activity changes were found in all regions studied and in all slices. The metabolic activity in all regions showed significant increases up to the separation of the midpalatal suture (T1-T2), whereas the metabolic activity exhibited a remarkable decrease (T2-T3) after the opening of the midpalatal suture.


CONCLUSIONS
Scintigraphic records revealed an increase in the regions of interest scores during RME in all regions and all slices. Therefore, it can be speculated that RME has had not only dental effects but also skeletal effects on young adult patients.
Baydas
Bülent
B
Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Atatürk University, Turkey.
Yavuz
Ibrahim
I
Uslu
Hatice
H
Dagsuyu
Ilhan Metin
IM
Ceylan
Ismail
I
D000293:Adolescent; D003393:Cranial Sutures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005624:Frontal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000628:therapy; D008437:Maxilla / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010155:Palatal Expansion Technique; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013100:Sphenoid Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D015050:Zygoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate