[Piezosurgery for surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion under local anesthesia]

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Orthodontics
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Maxillary transverse deficiency impacts facial aesthetics and function.
• Surgically Assisted Rapid Maxillary Expansion (SARME) is a common treatment.
• Conventional SARME often requires general anesthesia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and patient experience of piezosurgery for SARME.
• To assess the feasibility of performing SARME entirely under local anesthesia using piezosurgery.
• To compare piezosurgery outcomes with conventional methods.

Main Methods:

• SARME performed on 14 adults with maxillary transverse deficiency.
• Utilized a piezosurgical device for lateral maxillary, midpalatal osteotomies, and pterygomaxillary disjunction.
• Patient-reported outcomes collected via questionnaires regarding pain, fear, and sensation.

Main Results:

• All SARME procedures completed successfully under local anesthesia.
• Patients reported satisfactory tolerance, mild vibration sensation, and tolerable pain.
• Piezosurgery demonstrated precision and safety, with evident maxillary expansion six months post-operation.

Conclusions:

• Piezosurgery is a viable alternative for SARME under local anesthesia.
• The technique offers precision and safety advantages.
• Further studies with larger cohorts and longer follow-up are recommended.