Novel Digital Measurement Technique to Analyze the Palatine Suture Expansion after Palatine Rapid Maxillary Expansion Technique.

UNLABELLED

The aim of the study was to validate a novel digital measurement method to quantify the volume of the midpalatal suture after rapid maxillary expansion (RME).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Eight patients with maxillary skeletal transverse deficiency were submitted to palatine suture expansion using the McNamara orthodontic appliance during a period of nine months. After 30 days of treatment, all patients were exposed postoperatively to a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan. Afterwards, the scans were uploaded into the three-dimensional orthodontic-planning software to allow the volumetric assessment of the palatine suture expansion through palatine rapid maxillary expansion using a McNamara appliance. The repeatability was analyzed by repeating twice the measures by a single operator and reproducibility was analyzed by repeating three times the measures by two operators, and Gage R&R statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTS

The expansion of the midpalatal suture by means of the rapid maxillary expansion technique, in terms of digital volume measurement, showed a repeatability value of 0.09% and between the two operators a reproducibility value of 0.00% was shown.

CONCLUSIONS

The novel measurement technique demonstrated a high repeatability and reproducibility rate for volume assessment of the palatine suture expansion through palatine rapid maxillary expansion technique.