title: Maxillary changes with bone-borne surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion: A prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this prospective study was to analyze the postexpansion positional changes of the maxillary halves and their initial stability after transpalatal distraction with a bone-borne distractor and standard corticotomies of the anterior, lateral, and median bony supports of the maxilla without pterygomaxillary disjunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of 21 patients (15 female, 6 male; mean age, 26 years 5 months). Measurements on the maxillary study casts and the posteroanterior cephalograms were obtained before surgery, at the end of palatal expansion, and 10 weeks later. No orthodontic treatment was initiated during the examination period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After palatal expansion, significantly wider measurements were noted in the canine (35.5%), premolar (26.3%), and molar (17.8%) regions. Angulation changes in the premolar (-7°) and molar (-8°) segments were observed. No significant changes were seen between the end of palatal expansion and 10 weeks later. Arch perimeter increased by 9.16% between presurgery and 10 weeks after the end of expansion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicated that more expansion was achieved anteriorly, and that there was buccal tipping of the split maxillary halves. Bone-borne surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion can provide significant expansion of the maxilla with an increase in arch perimeter, and it shows initial stability.
authors.affiliation: Researcher, Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: kasscher@vub.ac.be.
authors.forename: Karlien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asscherickx
authors.affiliation: Private practice, Veurne, Belgium.
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Govaerts
authors.affiliation: Lecturer, Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aerts
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vande Vannet
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001641:Bicuspid / Q000473:pathology; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D003481:Cuspid / Q000473:pathology; D003724:Dental Arch / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003765:Models, Dental; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009915:Orbit / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019857:Osteogenesis, Distraction / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods; D010155:Palatal Expansion Technique / Q000295:instrumentation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D019291:Skull Base / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055815:Young Adult; D015050:Zygoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging