A comparative assessment of changes in dental arches associated with different activation protocols of rapid maxillary expansion.
- Resource Type
- Academic Journal
- Authors
- Baldini A; Dental School, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.; Nota A; Dental School, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.; Santariello C; Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy.; Assi V; Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit (ECTU), University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom.; Ballanti F; Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy.; Cozza P; Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy.
- Source
- Publisher: Ariesdue Country of Publication: Italy NLM ID: 101121881 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Print ISSN: 1591-996X (Print) Linking ISSN: 1591996X NLM ISO Abbreviation: Eur J Paediatr Dent Subsets: MEDLINE
- Subject
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 1591-996X
Aim: The aim of this study is to compare dental arch changes associated with different activation protocols of maxillary expander.
Materials and Methods: A sample of 101 subjects with constricted maxillary arches (49 males and 52 females; mean age 10.96 ± 1.91 years) was enrolled in the study. All subjects underwent RME with a stainless steel banded expander cemented to the maxillary first molars and the expansion screw was randomly activated with two different rapid maxillary expansion protocols (one- quarter per day or two quarters per day). The study also involved a control group of 22 subjects (10 females and 12 males, mean age 10.39 ± 1.32 years) who underwent no treatment. A statistical comparison between the dental arch measures obtained before and after treatment in the two groups was performed.
Results: The Wilcoxon rank-sum test shows statistically significant differences of the measurement increases between the two activation protocols (at least p=0.01). Statistically significant differences were also reported in comparison with the control group.
Conclusions: A faster activation protocol could be able to determine a greater anterior opening of the mid-palatal suture. Moreover, it seems to yield a higher width increase in the molar area.