Mini-Implant Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion-The Quest for Optimum Transverse Skeletal Expansion
Author(s): Kalyani J Papalkar*, Pratiksha Lakhe and Rizwan A Gilani
Abstract
Maxillary deficiency is a common problem in orthodontic patients. A possibility to increase the skeletal effects of Class III treatment on the maxilla is the Alternative Rapid Maxillary Expansion and Constriction (Alt-RAMEC) method introduced by Liou, that progresses maxilla's effectiveness in relation to the adjacent sutures and its enhancement. Likewise, MARPE has become gradually popular in the management of transverse discrepancies compared to the traditional expansion approach, due to its amplified skeletal effects. The present article aims at reviewing the existing literature on the Alt-RAMEC protocol and Maxillary skeletal expansion, or Mini-screw-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) Appliance, and at evidencing relevant differences between them. The results obtained indicate that MARPE is a valid substitute to surgery in patients with multifaceted craniofacial discrepancies, while securing the stability and safety of the transverse correction. To avoid surgery, nonsurgical maxillary developments can be done to accomplish both dentoalveolar as well as skeletal expansion for transverse correction.