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Abstract

Purpose: Various microimplant- assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) appliances were developed in these years. By applying this procedure, maxillary transverse deficiencies can be corrected in adults with limited dental tipping. However, some undesirable effects could happen during treatment. In this study, we aimed to record the incidence of any adverse effect or complication. Pain score was also measured during treatment. Patients and Methods: Twenty-nine patients (22.8 ± 8.6 years old) with 13 males and 16 females were enrolled. Clinical photographs, radiographs and cone-beam computed tomography were taken before insertion of MARPE and after expansion. Interview was conducted by one orthodontist with a questionnaire recording the experiences throughout the MARPE procedure. Results: The mean pain score during activation was 4.38 ± 2.4, moderate in pain category. Inflammation of palatal mucosa was reported by 48.3% of subjects. There were 41.4% of subjects complained difficulty in cleaning and 37.9% experienced soft tissue impingement. Distortion of expander components presented in four subjects, and only one microimplant was loosened during expansion. Two subjects reported tinnitus on and off during MARPE activation. Sutures failed to open on three subjects, and the overall success rate was 89.7% in terms of suture opening. Self-perceived asymmetrical expansion was reported by four subjects. Conclusions: Although some adverse effects and complications were reported in this study, MARPE can still provide good outcomes on correcting maxillary transverse discrepancies in skeletally matured patients. The overall success rate is high with moderate patient’s pain level. Oral hygiene should be emphasized since the inflammation of palatal mucosa is the most frequent complication during treatment. With all the possible adverse effects in mind, clinician may be more confident in providing MARPE treatment.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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