Do the miniscrews of the prefabricated systems for the "appliance first" protocol of miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion have lengths that meet the palatal thickness of patients?

Introduction: In the "appliance first" protocol of miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion, the prefabricated shape of the expanders limits the potential locations for miniscrew placement. Considering the influence of palatal thickness on the selection of the optimal length of miniscrews, this study aimed to evaluate the thickness of both bone and mucosa of the palate of patients aged 6-65 years and suggest optimal lengths of miniscrews for this approach.

Methods: Two hundred and eighty-two cone-beam computed tomography of patients of both sexes were divided into 3 groups according to age.