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Evaluating midpalatal suture maturation using cone-beam computed tomography in East Asian individuals aged 16-50
Zhengxian Zhu1, Nan Zhou2, Wenhao Qian3
1Department of Orthodontics, Laboratory of Dental Biomaterials and Tissue Regeneration, Shanghai Xuhui District Stomatological Hospital, Shanghai, 200032, PR China.
Introduction:
We aimed to evaluate the maturation stage of the midpalatal suture (MPS) in postadolescent and adult individuals aged 16-50 years using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).
Methods:
The CBCT scans of 711 individuals (329 men and 382 women) were divided into the following five age groups: 16-20 years (n = 84), 21-25 years (n = 134), 26-30 years (n = 231), 31-35 years (n = 135), and 36-50 years (n = 127). The MPS maturation stage was classified using the Angelieri Stage A-E method on the basis of the morphological characteristics of the suture. The chi-square test was applied to evaluate the suture stages according to sex and age groups.
Results:
Stage C was prevalent in the 16-35 age group. No significant differences were detected in the overall distribution of the MPS maturation stages, except between the 16-20 and 36-50 age groups.
Conclusion:
The high prevalence of Stage C maturation suggests that nonsurgical expansion may still be viable, even in older adults. MPS maturation may show a notable shift from Stage C to Stage E around the age of 36, indicating a possible turning point.
