Date of Graduation

2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

School of Dentistry

Department

Orthodontics

Committee Chair

Peter Ngan

Committee Co-Chair

Chris Martin

Committee Member

Timothy Tremont

Abstract

Introduction: Microimplant-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) has recently been offered to adult patients as a treatment option for correcting maxillary transverse deficiency. However, there is a lack of information in the literature on the effects of this newer expansion technique specifically related to skeletal maturity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate skeletal, dentoalveolar, and periodontal response to MARPE in skeletally matured patients, as assessed by the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) method, using cone-beam computed tomography.;Experimental Design and Methods: Eight patients (2 females, 6 males; mean age of 21.9 +/- 1.5 years) treated with the maxillary skeletal expander (MSE), a particular type of MARPE appliance, were included in the study. Measurements before and after MARPE of midpalatal suture opening, upper facial bony expansion, aveolar bone bending, dental tipping, and buccal bone thickness were compared using one-way ANOVA or matched-pair t-test (alpha = 0.05).;Results: Midpalatal suture separated in 100% of subjects with no dislodged microimplants. Contribution to total expansion include 41% skeletal, 12% alveolar bone bending, and 48% dental tipping. Pattern of midpalatal suture opening was parallel in both coronal and axial view. On average, absolute dental tipping ranged from 4.17° to 4.96o and buccal bone thickness reduced by 0.27 mm to 0.68 mm, which may be improved overtime with orthodontic uprighting.;Conclusion: MARPE can be a clinically acceptable, nonsurgical treatment option for correcting mild to moderate maxillary transverse discrepancies, less than 7 mm, in skeletally matured adult patients with a healthy periodontium.

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