"The primary aim of this presentation is to illustrate the dental and skeletal effects of maxillary
expansion using the conventional rapid palatal expander (RPE), the surgically-assisted rapid palatal
expander (SARPE), and the micro-implant assisted rapid palatal expander (MARPE). Dental
expansion, bone bending, and true skeletal expansion will be compared. The adverse clinical
consequences of RPE and SARPE in high-angle cases will be explored, and a new approach
eliminating these problems by the use of MARPE will be presented. Several clinical cases involving
maxillary expansion will be examined in detail, and these results will be supported by Finite Element
Model (FEM) simulation.
The secondary aim is to demonstrate other advantages of utilizing MARPE. Many patients requiring
maxillary expansion often have narrow nasal airways, and positive changes in nasal airway with
application of MARPE are common. Clinical cases illustrating the enlargement of nasal airways after
MARPE will be closely evaluated. With this concept of orthopedic expansion, MARPE can potentially
aid in orthopedic correction of Class III cases when combined with a face-mask (FA). Clinical cases
combining MARPE and FM will be discussed in detail, and orthopedic effects will be illustrated. The
use of growth modification techniques in conjunction with this new device opens the door to many
new possibilities. Lastly, unknown skeletal impacts will be explored. Changes in the Zygmatic arch
and nasal area will be demonstrated through clinical cases."
Changes in the zygomatic arch and nasal area? I wonder what that means. And why are high-angle cases ALWAYS so difficult to treat?
