Cellular Midpalatal Suture Changes after Rapid Maxillary Expansion in Growing Subjects: A Case Report

Abstract

The present case report aimed to investigate immediate histologic changes in midpalatal suture in humans following rapid maxillary expansion compared to control. Three patients (mean age 8.3 ± 0.9 years) were enrolled in the case report and underwent midpalatal suture biopsy. Two patients underwent treatment before biopsy. The third patient did not show transversal maxillary deficiency and was enrolled as a control. Biopsy samples of midpalatal suture at 7 (subject 1) and 30 days (subject 2) after maxillary expansion as well as of one control (subject 3) were collected and processed for histology. In the control (subject 3) inter-digitations at the palatal suture gap were observed. At 7 days (subject 1) mature bone with small marrow spaces and trabecular bone with the peculiar storiform appearance inside the soft tissue and collagen fibers running parallel only in the central part were present. At 30 days (subject 2), a greater number of newly-formed bone trabeculae with a perpendicular orientation to the long axis of the suture could be seen. At 30 days the fibrous component of bone tissue was less represented compared to the sample at 7 days. Data from the preliminary histological results showed that bone formation was observed in the gap after rapid maxillary expansion, although the healing process was still ongoing.

Midpalatal Suture Density Evaluation after Rapid and Slow Maxillary Expansion with a Low-Dose CT Protocol: A Retrospective Study

“…Rapid maxillary expansion (RME) treatment is the treatment most commonly used by clinicians [9], though slow maxillary expansion (SME) is being employed more often [10]. The effects of palatal expansion are mainly skeletal and related to the upper arch transverse dimensions, however dental and respiratory function changes are often present [11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. According to a recent systematic review and meta-analysis, the current evidence on the dental and skeletal effects was reported to be of a higher level for RME than SME, but the two expansion protocols seemed to have no significant differences in dentoalveolar transversal effects [17].…”

3D facial soft tissue changes after rapid maxillary expansion on primary teeth: A randomized clinical trial

“…Rapid maxillary expansion (RME) is a common orthodontic treatment procedure for correcting transverse maxillary deficiency. The original indication for RME was to increase the transverse width of a narrow maxilla, but it is clinically proven that the effects of the expansion are more over the whole nasomaxillary complex …”

Digital Dynamic 3D Monitoring of Lower Incisors Intrusion in Lingual Orthodontics

“…Further investigations are necessary to identify new stable points (outside dental arch) to perform this important step. Probably in the future, considering how digital technology is evolving fast in all the fields of dentistry [ 46 - 48 ], this entire process would be automatic, which could then make this methodology clinically useful in treatment planning and monitoring not only for fixed orthodontics but also for interceptive treatment [ 49 , 50 ].…”