Surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion: is the pterygomaxillary disjunction necessary? A finite element study

Transverse discrepancy is an important factor in determining facial esthetics. It has been shown there is an inverse correlation between the buccal corridor width and the intercanine and intermolar widths. Despite the fact midpalatal expansion is the treatment of choice for growing subjects, for skeletally mature subjects the rapid palatal expansion has limited orthopedic effects, and surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion (SARPE) is preferred. SARPE has shown inconsistencies depending on the surgical technique and/or expander device design.
Source: Seminars in Orthodontics - Category: Dentistry Authors: Source Type: research