Maxillary expansion in young adults: a literature review

Abstract

Maxillary expansion in adult patients is a conservative treatment with a dubious prognosis due to ossification of the median palatine suture at the end of the growth phase where bone maturation occurs. Advances in technology have led to the suggestion of devices to reverse this situation, combined with techniques that can modify bone maturation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the types of rapid expansion appliances in the literature, how they work in relation to the teeth and face and their side effects. Studies have observed successful treatment with rapid maxillary expansion fixed with mini-implants, identifying a reduction in side effects on the supporting teeth during treatment with rapid median palatal disjunction. In addition, other studies have evaluated slow maxillary expansion where the orthopedic objective was not observed, only the orthodontic one with expansion of the arch teeth. There were few articles associating rapid and slow maxillary expansion, showing the need for more knowledge on the subject.