Predictors of midpalatal suture expansion by miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion in young adults: A preliminary study

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the predictors of midpalatal suture expansion by miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) in young adults. METHODS: The following variables were selected as possible predictors: chronological age, palate length and depth, midpalatal suture maturation (MPSM) stage, midpalatal suture density (MPSD) ratio, the sella-nasion (SN)-mandibular plane (MP) angle as an indicator of the vertical skeletal pattern, and the point A-nasion-point B (ANB) angle for anteroposterior skeletal classification. For 31 patients (mean age, 22.52 years) who underwent MARPE treatment, palate length and depth, MPSM stage and MPSD ratio from the initial cone-beam computed tomography images, and the SN-MP angle and ANB angle from lateral cephalograms were assessed. The midpalatal suture opening ratio was calculated from the midpalatal suture opening width measured in periapical radiographs and the MARPE screw expansion. Statistical analyses of correlations were performed for the entire patient group of 31 subjects and subgroups categorized by sex, vertical skeletal pattern, and anteroposterior skeletal classification. RESULTS: In the entire patient group, the midpalatal suture opening ratio showed statistically significant negative correlations with age, palate length, and MPSM stage (r = −0.506, −0.494, and −0.746, respectively, all p < 0.01). In subgroup analyses, a strong negative correlation was observed with the palate depth in the skeletal Class II subgroup (r = −0.900, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicated that age, palate length, and MPSM stage can be predictors of midpalatal suture expansion by MARPE in young adults.