Are palatal rugae reliable markers for 3D superimposition and forensic human identification after palatal expansion? A systematic review.

Objectives: Palatal rugae are periodic structures situated in the palatal mucosa, often used as landmarks for human identification and superimposition of digital dental models. This review aims to collect the current evidence regarding whether orthodontic palatal expansion could affect the stability of the palatal rugae and to give preliminary guidelines.

Materials And Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed in the scientific databases Pubmed; Embase; WoS; and Cochrane.

Long-term effects of orthodontic interceptive expansion treatment : A retrospective study.

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the long-term effects of interceptive orthodontic treatment with a removable expansion plate, based on transversal, sagittal, and vertical parameters.

Methods: A total of 90 patients needing interceptive treatment due to a crossbite or space deficiency were included. Records consisting of clinical photos, radiographs, and digital dental casts were collected for evaluation at two time points: the start of interceptive treatment (T0) and the start of comprehensive treatment (T1).

Short term effects of interceptive expansion treatment: a prospective study.

Objectives: This prospective cohort study investigated the short term effects of interceptive orthodontic treatment with a removable expansion plate, evaluating the changes in occlusion in all its dimensions: transversal, sagittal and vertical.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 226 patients treated with a removable expansion plate (slow maxillary expansion, SME) by orthodontic residents at the Department of Orthodontics, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium were included. The patients had a mean age of 8.