Critical issues concerning miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expanders: A narrative review

Abstract

Maxillary transverse deficiency presents challenges in orthodontic treatment, affecting approximately 4-17% of the population and leading to various malocclusions and facial imbalances. Traditional treatments like Rapid Palatal Expander (RPE) have been effective, particularly in younger patients, but are associated with drawbacks and limitations, especially in non-growing individuals. Miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) has emerged as a viable, safe, and cost-effective alternative for late adolescents and adults. Over the past decade, the MARPE has been widely used, leading to substantial clinical data. This narrative review aimed to revisit the crucial aspects related to treatment success, contributing factors, and various designs and protocols for MARPE. The MARPE designs, categorized as pure bone-borne, tissue bone-borne, and tooth bone-borne types, were compared along with their expansion patterns and the clinical implications were discussed. This review also focused on the long-term stability of MARPE and its potential complications.