Midpalatal Suture Maturation in Relation to Age, Sex, and Facial Skeletal Growth Patterns: A CBCT Study.

Simple Summary: The treatment of a transverse maxillary constriction is a challenge for orthodontists, as the expansion approach depends on the midpalatal suture maturation. A conventional palatal expander provides skeletal effects in an unfused suture, while surgically or miniscrew-assisted expansions are suggested in a closed suture. The midpalatal suture development is affected by multiple variables, such as age, sex, and facial growth patterns. Consequently, we conducted a CBCT study among 263 patients aged from 8 to 20 in order to evaluate the relation between midpalatal suture maturation and age, sex, and vertical and sagittal growth patterns. The midpalatal suture was classified into five stages from A to E according to the progressively increasing maturation stage. The youngest individuals, the male participants, and the hyperdivergent subjects tended to show lower stages. Therefore, our study provided a further analysis of the potential predictors involved in midpalatal suture maturation that are useful to the clinician to choose the most effective expansion approach. Background. The evaluation of midpalatal suture maturation is essential to undertake the most predictable maxillary expansion approach. Several factors, such as age, gender, and facial growth patterns, seem to be involved in midpalatal suture staging and, consequently, in its opening; however, the link between these variables and the stages of midpalatal suture development remains poorly understood. Our study aimed to analyse the midpalatal suture maturation in relation to age, sex, and skeletal growth patterns by CBCT. Methods. We enrolled 263 patients (119 males and 144 females) aged from 8 to 20 years. The midpalatal suture maturation was defined according to Angelieri et al.'s classification using a low-dose CBCT. The chi-square test and linear regression were applied to investigate the suture stages by age, sex, and vertical and sagittal growth patterns. Results. Stage A was present in 8- and 9-year-olds with a larger prevalence in boys, while the prevalence of stage E increased progressively with age. Stage D was the most prevalent in our sample. The statistical analysis described that stage A was more likely in the youngest subjects, and stage E in the oldest participants. The males tended to have lower maturation stages. Moreover, the hypodivergent and normodivergent subjects tended to have higher maturation stages, while Class III was more likely in subjects in stages D or E. Conclusions. A total of 127 patients were in stages A, B, and C, showing an unfused suture. In young individuals, the opening of the midpalatal suture leads to a proper facial growth development by correcting the transverse superior hypoplasia. The midpalatal sutural maturation classification was related to age, sex, and divergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]