Midpalatal suture bone regeneration following customized miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion in nongrowing patients: A retrospective observational study

This study aimed to evaluate midpalatal suture bone regeneration after customized miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) in nongrowing patients using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) over a 12-month period. An observational study including 40 nongrowing patients diagnosed with transverse maxillary deficiency was conducted. Customized MARPE was performed, and CBCT scans were obtained at baseline (T0), 6 months (T1), and 12 months (T2) post-expansion. Bone density measurements were taken at the anterior, median, and posterior regions of the midpalatal suture. Statistical analyses included paired t -tests, repeated measures ANOVA, and chi-square tests. Significant reductions in bone density were observed at 6 months post-expansion in all regions. By 12 months, bone density had substantially recovered, with the median region even exceeding baseline values. Younger patients (<18 years) and those with expansion widths < 5 mm demonstrated faster and more complete bone regeneration. Visual scoring on CBCT confirmed complete suture healing in all patients by 12 months. Customized MARPE effectively promotes midpalatal suture expansion and subsequent bone regeneration in nongrowing patients. Complete bone healing was evident within 1-year, particularly among younger individuals and those with smaller expansion widths, supporting the efficacy of customized MARPE as a nonsurgical treatment option for transverse maxillary deficiency.