Rapid maxillary expansion: Do banded teeth develop more external root resorption than non-banded anchorage teeth?

Area of Science:

• Orthodontics
• Dental Histology
• Craniofacial Development

Background:

• Rapid maxillary expansion (RME) is a common orthodontic procedure.
• Anchorage methods, such as bands and wires, are used to stabilize teeth during RME.
• External root resorption (ERR) is a potential side effect of orthodontic treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the incidence and severity of external root resorption (ERR) in maxillary first premolars.
• To evaluate the effect of two different orthodontic anchorage types (bands vs. wires) during RME on ERR.
• To assess the repair capacity of resorbed root surfaces.

Main Methods:

• Histologic analysis of 108 maxillary first premolars from 18 subjects undergoing RME.
• Split-mouth design comparing band anchorage (BG) and wire anchorage (WG).
• Mandibular first premolars served as a control group (CG) to assess baseline root conditions.

Main Results:

• All maxillary premolars in both the band and wire groups exhibited ERR at the cementum and dentin levels.
• Partial repair of resorbed areas was observed in all cases, with complete repair being rare.
• No statistically significant difference in ERR was found between the band and wire anchorage groups.
• Buccal root surfaces showed more ERR than palatal or interproximal surfaces.

Conclusions:

• Rapid maxillary expansion (RME) consistently leads to external root resorption (ERR) in maxillary premolars, regardless of anchorage type.
• Partial cementum repair occurs following RME-induced ERR.
• Banded anchorage does not result in increased ERR compared to wire anchorage during RME.