Upper and lower arch changes after Mixed Palatal Expansion protocol

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate upper and lower dental changes after Mixed Palatal Expansion (MPE) treatment in growing patients with posterior single or bilateral crossbite and mild-to-moderate crowding, as compared to untreated growing subjects by dental cast analysis.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A group of 24 patients (18 girls, 6 boys) was treated with Hyrax-type device and compared with an untreated matched control group at T0 (8.6 yrs. ± 2) and at T1 (10 yrs. ± 2) using dental casts. The dental cast analysis was performed on four dental bilateral landmarks, on upper and lower casts; also upper and lower arch depths were measured. The groups were compared using independent sample t-test to estimate dental changes in upper and lower arches.RESULTS: The MPE group showed significant upper and lower arch changes when compared with the control group. Upper intermolar, interpremolar-2nd, interpremolar-1st (P<0.001) and intercanine widths (P<0.05) showed considerable changes in the treated group, while mandibular intermolar (P<0.001), interpremolar-1st (P<0.05) and intercanine widths (P<0.01) were slightly greater in the MPE group when compared with the control group.CONCLUSION: The changes in transverse upper and lower arch dimensions were significant, when compared with those seen in the control group.