Surgically assisted rapid maxillary expasion: a preliminar study

Surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion is efficient for the treatment of transverse maxillary deficiencies in skeletally mature patients. AIM: To study two techniques for surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion: with or without pterygoid plate detachment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A longitudinal cohort study sample including ten patients aged 18-40 years, with a skeletal transverse discrepancy in the maxilla of more than 4 mm. Two groups were established on a randomized basis, five patients in each group, according to the detachment or absence of detachment of the pterygoid plate. Furthermore, osteotomies of the bilateral zygomatic buttress and the intermaxillary suture were done in both groups. The transverse discrepancy was measured in study models, a posterior-anterior cephalometric radiograph evaluated the superior and inferior zygomatic plane and the inter-tuber distance and an occlusal radiograph evaluated the intermaxillary dysjunction in the pre-operative period and 30 days post-operatively. A 7-day period of rest was given after corticotomy before starting expansion with quarter turns once a day. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between pre- and post-operative measurements. CONCLUSION: There are few randomized control trials in literature comparing the two techniques for surgically maxillary expansion. Further studies with a larger sample are required.