Confronto tra espansione del mascellare superiore ottenuto tramite l'utilizzo dell'espansore rapido del mascellare e l'espansione rapida del mascellare chirurgicamente assistita

BACKGROUND: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate and compare cephalometrically the skeletal and dental effects of maxillary expansion by the rapid maxillary expander compared to a surgical assisted rapid maxillary expansion. METHODS: The records which included 102 patients (50 female, 52 male) with maxillary bilateral cross bite caused by narrowness of the apical base are collected and divided into two treatment groups: the first group (63 patients, 36 male and 27 female) included patients who had been treated with an orthopedic rapid maxillary expander. The second group (39 patients, 16 male, 23 female) included patients who had been treated by a surgical assisted rapid maxillary expansion. For each patient two frontal cephalograms, one taken before treatment (T0) and a second one after the retention phase (T1), were analyzed. Descriptive statistics included the means and standard deviations (SD). The mean differences in cephalometric measurements at TO and Tl were examined. Statistical analysis was undertaken using a T test for paired samples. Statistical significance was considered at P