Skeletal changes following surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME)

Area of Science:

• Orthodontics
• Craniofacial Surgery
• Radiology

Background:

• Maxillary transverse deficiency is a common condition requiring orthodontic intervention.
• Surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME) is a widely used technique for correction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate skeletal changes in nasal and palatal dimensions after SARME.
• To assess the impact of SARME on nasal cavity and floor width.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 14 patients undergoing SARME.
• Radiographic evaluation using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) and posterior anterior (PA) cephalograms.
• Measurement of nasal bone width, palatal bone width, basal maxillary width, and nasal cavity width.

Main Results:

• Significant increases in nasal floor width at the premolar and molar levels (p=0.005, p=0.017).
• Significant increases in palatal bone width between premolar and molar teeth (p=0.003, p=0.002).
• Significant increases in basal maxillary width (p=0.026) and nasal cavity width (p=0.024).

Conclusions:

• SARME effectively increases transverse dimensions of the nasal and palatal skeleton.
• Enlargement of the nasal floor and cavity suggests potential improvement in nasal airflow.
• CBCT and PA cephalograms are valuable tools for assessing SARME outcomes.