Comparative Evaluation of Skeletal and Dental Effects of Mini-Implant Assisted and Corticopuncture-Facilitated Rapid Palatal Expansion in Adults: A Randomized Clinical Study

Abstract

Introduction: Conventional rapid maxillary expansion (RME) in adults is difficult due to increased skeletal maturity of the midpalatal suture. Surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion (SARPE) treatment is recommended for adults with strongly consolidated sutures but has lesser acceptance due to its invasive nature. Mini-implant-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) produced dentoalveolar side effects along with some skeletal effects in adults while being highly successful in adolescents and young adults. A lesser invasive technique combined with a purely bone-borne-rapid-maxillary-expansion appliance (BBRME) is suggested in this study to achieve maximum skeletal effects and minimize the dentoalveolar side effects of expansion in adults with completely fused midpalatal sutures as an alternative to SARPE. Aim: This study aims to evaluate and compare skeletal and dental effects of mini-implant assisted, and corticopuncture-facilitated rapid palatal expansion in adults. Material and Methods: A randomized clinical study was performed on 18 patients (mean age 20.77 years) who were randomly divided into two groups: Group A (Corticopuncture-facilitated BBRME) and Group B (conventional MARPE). Pretreatment (T0) and postexpansion (T1) skeletal and dental effects of both the groups were analyzed using cone-beam computed tomography imaging. Results: A student's paired t-test was used to evaluate the difference in expansion achieved between the two groups (T1-T0). Group A (BBRME with corticopunctures) showed increased transverse widths at the basal bone, nasal base, and jugal processes. Group B (conventional MARPE) showed increased inclination of the posterior teeth indicating dental tipping. Both groups were successfully treated with their respective protocols but dentoalveolar side effects were significantly less in group A (BBRME) suggesting a better prognosis in BBRME group. Conclusions: Greater skeletal changes were seen in group A (BBRME) (P < 0.05∗) than in group B. Group B (MARPE) showed more dental side effects like dental tipping and lesser skeletal expansion. Corticopuncture-facilitated bone-borne RME (BBRME) is a viable and efficient method of maximizing skeletal expansion in adults with fully obliterated midpalatal sutures.