Surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion in class III malocclusion: Our experience

Maxillary transverse deficiency (MTD) is a common facial disharmony that may need surgical assisted rapid palatal expansion (SARPE). The aim of this study was to present our SARPE technique and to report about our experience.

Medical records of all class III patients who underwent SARPE in our department from 2010 to 2015 and for whom a follow-up of at least 1year was available, were included in a retrospective study. The technique consisted, after short orthodontic preparation allowing for divergence of the upper central incisors, in a complete Le Fort I osteotomy without down fracture, and medial sagittal submucosal separation of the hard palate under general anesthesia in an inpatient procedure. Teeth-supported distracters were sealed preoperatively while bone-supported devices were inserted peroperatively. Activation of the distracter was allowed from day 2 at the rate of 2×0.25 per day during 4days and 2×0.5mm per day the following days. Distracters were left in place for about 4months. Orthodontic treatment resumption was allowed from the second month. The initial malocclusion, the amount and type (parallel or angular) of distraction that was needed, the type of distracter used, the amount of distraction obtained, the per- and postoperative complications and the clinical stability of the end result were analyzed.

The records of 23 patients (18 women, 5 men - average age: 25.4years, extremes: 16-55years) could be included. MTD was isolated in 6 cases, associated with a maxillary retrognathism in 5 cases, with a mandibular prognathism in 6 cases, and with both in 6 cases. The average amount of distraction needed was 7.2mm (range: 4-12), parallel in 20 cases and angular in 3 cases. The distracters were bone-supported (Rapid Palatal Expander^®, KLS Martin Group, Tuttlingen, Germany) in 3 patients and custom-made tooth-supported in 20 patients. The average amount of distraction obtained at the level of the distracter cylinder was 7.7mm (range: 5-13). We noted 2 cases of palatal fibromucosa perforations, 1 case of posterior excess of distraction, 1 case of nasal septum deviation, 1 case of iatrogenic necrosis of tooth No.°11, 1 case of naso-genial sulcus hematoma, 1 case of intraoperative mobility of tooth No.°21, 5 cases of asymmetric distraction. Seventeen patients needed a second orthognathic procedure and 22 had stable Class I occlusion after removal of appliances at 18 months follow-up on average.

SARPE is a quite safe procedure that allows for transverse coordination without dental extraction. Transverse discrepancies greater than 4mm are for us clear indications for SARPE. When a sagittal discrepancy is associated, we prefer performing SARPE first and correcting the sagittal plane in a second operation. The recent development of Le Fort I sliding osteosynthesis plates opens the way to one time correction and the development of double-action distracters fitted out with 2 cylinders will be helpful for performing angular distractions.