The microscrew implants did not demonstrate increased 1L-1beta levels during tooth movement. This supports the concept that microscrew implants might be useful as absolute anchorage devices.

A 24-year-old man with a bilateral cleft lip and palate was treated by a multidisciplinary team composed of an orthodontist, plastic surgeon, and prosthodontist with assistance from an engineer. Before treatment, clinical photographs, dental casts, lateral and posteroanterior cephalograms, periapical and panoramic radiographs, and three-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT) images were obtained. He presented with a narrow and retrognathic maxilla with a 23-mm anterior open bite. Following maxillary expansion with rapid palatal expansion, a Le Fort I maxillary osteotomy was performed, and an internal distractor was placed. After a 5-day latency period, internal maxillary distraction was performed at a rate of 1 mm/day achieved by two activations per day. Cephalometric analysis showed a 7-mm maxillary advancement. Mandibular bilateral sagittal split osteotomy was also performed to close the open bite following maxillary distraction and a 3-month stabilization period. Finally, the treatment was completed with prosthetic rehabilitation. The changes in speech production were evaluated using an automatic speech recognition system.

The purpose of this study was to compare Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of young adults with maxillary constriction during tooth- and bone-borne expansion. Thirty patients, 15 females and 15 males, with a mean age of 17.3 +/- 2.8 years were divided into three groups. Group I consisted of 10 patients, five females and five males, treated by transpalatal distraction (TPD) as a bone-borne device, group II 10 patients, five females and five males, with a Hyrax appliance as a tooth-borne device, and a control group of 10 patients, five females and five males, without any expansion appliances. GCF samples were collected with filter paper strips at six observation periods in order to evaluate the effect of heavy orthopaedic forces in both groups. In group II, the samples were additionally collected at two pre-treatment time points in order to evaluate the effect of the forces generated by the separators. An automated enzyme immunoassay was used to measure PGE(2) in the GCF. The differences within the groups were evaluated with a pairwise t-test and the differences between the groups were determined by the Mann-Whitney U-test. The mean PGE(2) level was significantly elevated on day 4 after placement of the separators in group II (P < 0.05). The PGE(2) values in group II were significantly different to those in group I and the controls at all observation periods. Lower PGE(2) levels were observed in group I compared with group II and the controls. Expansion using the TPD method could potentially enhance the prognosis of the teeth by inducing more skeletal dental changes when compared with the Hyrax appliance.

No abstract

An adult male patient who presented with an anterior open bite and a narrow maxilla was treated using a transpalatal distractor (TPD). Transpalatal distraction is a technique for orthopedic maxillary expansion, in which distraction osteogenesis is used. In this technique, the angulation and location of the TPD are critical because they may affect the ratio of skeletal/dental expansion. Any incorrect placement of a TPD may also damage the surrounding blood vessels and premolar roots. This case report introduces a new and easy method for the accurate placement of a TPD using the TPD transporter in an adult patient.