What we know about mini-screw assisted rapid palatal expansion

Traverse maxillary deficiency (TMD) is becoming common among adults and adolescents. The defects in the mandibular arch and maxillary can result in the emergence of "posterior crossbite." The outcomes can be a narrowing of the palates and an imbalance within the facial muscles. The palatal expansion has been used over the years to "open the mid-palatal suture" and repair the malocclusion. Specifically, rapid palatal expansion (RPE) remains the mainly applied modality to treat TMD. However, this technique is only effective in patients below 15 years. Above this age, the mid-palatal suture is rigid, causing resistance. Miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) is a promising treatment procedure for TMD in adults because it allows for maximum skeletal and dental expansion. The process is a non-invasive, cost-effective and risk-free intervention with the highest success rate and minimal complications. The surgical-assisted rapid palatal expansion (SARPE) is a technique for treating TMD and has shown much success. However, patients reject it because it entails the surgical procedure, leading to higher risks and costs. This paper examines the current literature on the application and efficacy of MARPE in expanding mid-palatal sutures. It also compares MARPE with SARPE.