Evaluation of Sagittal and Vertical Changes in Maxillary Dental, Skeletal, and Soft Tissue Following Surgically Assisted Rapid Maxillary Expansion: A Retrospective Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the maxillary complex would be sagittally, vertically, or mutually displaced after the transverse maxillary correction by surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion and how the facial profile would be affected. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample comprised 28 adult patients (mean age 25.8 [age range 19-39 years]; 50% women) with transverse maxillary deficiency greater than 7 mm who underwent the surgical rapid maxillary expansion. Cephalometric analysis (n = 112), intra- and extra-oral registries, and radiographic records were taken before treatment (T1), right after the end of the expansion (T2), 4 months after the expansion (T3), and 10 months after the end of the expansion (T4). Dental and skeletal cephalometric measurements were evaluated at each time-point, whereas soft tissue cephalometric analyses were determined at 2 time points (T1 and T4). RESULTS: The results indicated that no sagittal, vertical, skeletal, or soft tissue variation was found after the surgical expansion. However, statistically significant dental changes (P < 0.05) were observed in dental angles (1.NA/1.SN/1.PoOR/1.PP) throughout the different time-points. The authors found statistically relevant posterior inclination of the incisors from T2 to T3 based on multiple comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: Surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion does not promote anterior and vertical displacement of the maxilla. Notwithstanding, the surgical intervention causes upper incisor palatal inclination.