Quantitative cone beam computed tomography assessment of palatal thickness for miniscrew assisted rapid palatal expansion device placement among a sample of Upper Egyptian population
Ahmed I. Abdul-Aziz, Dina G. Anis, Mostafa A. MohammedAim
Our objective was to quantitatively assess the palatal thickness for miniscrew (Ms)-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) device placement utilizing cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) among a sample of the Upper Egyptian population.
Patients and methods
50 CBCT scans (24 male and 26 female) for patients aged 18–30 years were retrospectively analyzed. Palatal thicknesses (cortical, mucosal, and total) in anterior and posterior areas, left and right areas, and male and female patients were determined bilaterally at 3.0 mm from the mid-palatal suture and statistically compared. In the anterior area, the palatal thickness was measured in the T-zone at the level of the 2 nd premolars’ palatal cusps, while in the posterior area, it was measured at the level of the 1 st molars’ palatal groove.
Results
Statistically significant differences were found between anterior and posterior areas for cortical, mucosal, and total palatal thickness, with a mean of 4.5 ± 1.1, 2.5 ± 0.6, and 7.0 ± 1.1 for anterior and 2.4 ± 0.7, 2.0 ± 0.5, and 4.4 ± 0.7 for posterior area, respectively. Statistically nonsignificant differences were encountered for the three palatal thicknesses between the right and left areas and between males and females with a mean of 7.1 ± 1.3 and 6.7 ± 1.2 in the anterior right, 7.4 ± 1.6 and 7.0 ± 0.9 in the anterior left, 4.3 ± 0.8 and 4.3 ± 0.8 in the posterior right, and 4.5 ± 0.9 and 4.4 ± 0.8 in the posterior left areas, respectively.
Conclusion
Palatal thickness significantly differs between anterior and posterior areas, with no significant differences when both sex and maxillary sides were considered. A thorough and individualized clinical and CBCT assessment for each patient is mandatory for precise Ms insertion, corroborating successful miniscrew assisted rapid palatal expansion.