Dentoalveolar changes after surgically assisted maxillary expansion: a three-dimensional evaluation.
OBJECTIVE
Surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion (SARPE) is a common procedure to correct maxillary transverse deficiency of >5 mm in patients with closed midpalatal suture. The aim of this study was to three-dimensionally analyze skeletal and dentoalveolar changes after SARPE.


METHODS
Eighteen mature patients (mean age 26 years) with a palatal transverse deficiency underwent SARPE. The surgical procedure consisted of a lateral osteotomy combined with an interradicular osteotomy between the roots of the upper central incisors. Measuring points were defined on teeth as well as facial skeleton. Computerized tomography scans were performed preoperatively and immediately after the expansion period.


RESULTS
Changes of the dentoalveolar and maxillofacial complex were analyzed.


CONCLUSIONS
Bilateral osteotomy combined with a sagittal osteotomy between the roots of the upper central incisors is a safe method of surgically assisted maxillary expansion. The amount of dentoalveolar tipping was smaller than reported in literature. The expansion was mostly achieved by maxillary expansion.
Zemann
Wolfgang
W
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medical University, Graz, Austria. wolfgang.zemann@meduni-graz.at
Schanbacher
Monika
M
Feichtinger
Matthias
M
Linecker
Alexander
A
Kärcher
Hans
H