A Comparative Assessment of Hard Palate Thickness using Micro‐CT and Gross Cadaveric Measurements: Implications for the Safe Placement of Orthodontic Miniscrews

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The hard palate is a preferred area for orthodontic miniscrew (OMS) insertion due to easy surgical access and favorable anatomical configuration. However, accurate measurement of palatal bone thickness (BT) is crucial for choosing appropriate OMS lengths and insertion sites. The aim of this study is to determine the accuracy of micro‐computed tomography (micro‐CT) for assessing palatal BT, and to establish which sites commonly provide adequate BT for safe OMS placement.Ten cadaveric hard palates (52‐98 years) were cleaned of soft tissue and imaged using micro‐CT. Bone thickness was measured from sagittal micro‐CT image slices at pre‐determined sites beginning 3mm posterior to the incisive foramen and 4mm lateral to the midpalatal suture. Micro‐CT analysis was carried out using MicroView Image Viewer and Analysis tool. The same sites on each palate will also be measured from sagittal sections using digital caliper.Initial micro‐CT results indicate that palatal bone thickness is heterogeneous. The palate thins from anterior to posterior and also medio‐laterally when comparing sites 4 mm vs. 8mm adjacent to the midline. It is expected that similar results will also be observed from caliper measurements of palatal bone thickness. Early findings suggest that BT is favorable for OMS insertion in the anterior palate and that the posterior palate should be avoided.