Radiological evaluation of the bone and soft tissue thicknesses of the palate for using a miniscrew-supported maxillary skeletal expander.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the palatal bone and soft tissue thicknesses using a miniscrew-supported maxillary skeletal expander (MSE) in Class III malocclusion.

Methods: The thicknesses of the palatal bone and soft tissue were measured in cone-beam computed tomography images obtained from 58 patients. All 20 points were crossing points between five levels, which were defined at 3 mm intervals relative to the line connecting the central fossae of the first molar (Level 0), and 2 mm and 4 mm lateral to the anteroposterior reference line (AP line).

Results: The palatal bone was significantly thicker in males than females in the anterior palate up to Level 0, while there was no significant sex-related difference in the posterior palate. There was a tendency for the thickness to decrease in the posterior direction, except in females at 2 mm lateral to the AP line. The palatal soft tissue was significantly thicker in males than females in all positions. At 2 mm lateral to the AP line, the palatal soft tissue thickness decreased in the posterior direction. A 4 mm lateral to the AP line, it initially decreased in the posterior direction, and then increasing again at Level - 6 (6 mm posterior of Level 0). As the lateral distance from the AP line increased, the palatal bone thickness decreased while the palatal soft tissue thickness increased.

Conclusions: These findings provide quantitative data on the palatal bone and soft tissue thicknesses for the miniscrew-supported MSE in the posterior palate.