Effect of rapid maxillary expansion on the buccal alveolar bone: Clinical and radiographic evaluation

Abstract

Aim of the study: This study was conducted to evaluate clinically as well as radiographically using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) the effect of rapid maxillary expansion on the buccal alveolar bone. Material and Methods: The current study was conducted on a total sample of thirty young adult orthodontic patients (20 girls and 10 boys) presented with transverse maxillary deficiency with an age ranged from 11-15 with mean of 13.3 ±1.1Y.The patients were distributed randomly in to three equal groups according to the position of center of the expansion screw in relation to the palatal surface of the maxillary first permanent molars. The CBCT were taken before the start of the orthodontic expansion (T1), three months after the last activation immediately after removal of the expander (T2). All patients did not have brackets or wires placed in the maxillary arch until after the T2 records were taken. Results: Paired t-test used to statistically test the mean differences between pre-expansion and pos-expansion measurements within each group. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare among the different three groups. Tukey’s post-hoc test was used for pair-wise comparisons among the groups when ANOVA test was significant. The significance level was set at P ≤ 0.05. Conclusions: RME may have a deleterious effect on buccal alveolar bone of the anchor teeth at least in the first stages of RME leading to its decrease in thickness and height, while the palatal bone thickness showed marked increase in all groups.