[Examination of skeletally anchored expansion of the maxilla]

Introduction: Transverse maxillary deficiency is among the dimensional discrepancies between the jawbones and can develop due to factors such as mouth breathing, harmful habits, and abnormal swallowing. This deficiency can manifest in various clinical symptoms, such as posterior crossbite, a high-arched (gothic) palate, or dental crowding. Objective: There are several expansion methods for its treatment, which differ in terms of the timing and the magnitude of the applied forces. In addition to traditional tooth-borne expanders, skeletal anchorage devices have gained increasing attention in recent years, as they influence bone remodelling more effectively. Method: A study conducted at Semmelweis University aimed to analyze the effects of different expansion devices, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of “buccal rolling,” which refers to the lateral tipping of the dentoalveolar unit during expansion. The study involved 10 patients, who were divided into groups receiving either surgically assisted or non-assisted expansion. Measurements were carried out using digital intraoral scanning and three-dimensional analysis. Results: The results indicated that expansion with the MICRO-4 appliance without surgical assistance led to a greater degree of dentoalveolar tipping compared to surgically assisted expansion. Discussion: The expansion supported by surgical intervention proved to be faster and more effective. Conclusion: The research highlights the limitations of conservative skeletal-anchored maxillary expansion; however, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these findings. Orv Hetil. 2025; 166(30): 1195–1200.