Expanding the upper jaw can help with more than just fixing crossbites, a narrow upper jaw, or a high-arched roof of the mouth.
MARPE is an Umbrella Term
Researchers don’t fully agree on the best way to expand the midpalate (the middle of the upper jaw) in adults, like which devices to use or how to activate them. Most studies show that expansion can help increase the space in the upper airway. One review article found that MARPE in adults increased bone width by about 1.6 to 3 mm and tooth movement by about 5.5 to 7.6 mm, but also caused the teeth to tip. Another study by Tang and colleagues showed that MARPE results in young adults stayed fairly stable. People with thicker palate bone and a flatter roof of the mouth had even more stable results. MARPE (Miniscrew Assisted Rapid Palatal Expander) - is an umbrella term that embraces a variety of devices with either mixed anchorage (bone and teeth) or pure bone anchorage (no tooth-borne parts).
MARPE designs vary. So do protocols
New research in airway-focused orthodontics shows that widening the base of the nose—especially around the front nasal spine (ANS), back nasal spine (PNS), and piriform foramen—can make the airways in the nose and throat bigger. But not all MARPE devices are able to expand both the ANS and PNS areas at the same time.
3D Guided Midpalatal Piezocorticotomy Assisted MARPE expansion
Introduced by Dr.Svitlana Koval 3D guided midpalatal piezocorticotomy assisted MARPE expansion here has been shown to consistently separate the midpalatal suture at both the front (ANS) and back (PNS), as well as split the pterygomaxillary sutures. This causes the upper jaw to move forward and outward. Our results show that using guided piezocorticotomy-assisted MARPE can expand the middle of the face by naturally separating several sutures in adults. This suggests that this method works differently from SARPE, which relies on surgery to cut the midpalatal suture and often uses another procedure (Le Fort I osteotomy) to move the upper jaw further.
Is MARPE expansion predictable in adults?
Expanding the upper jaw in adults—especially men over 18—was once thought to be unreliable, so other treatments were usually recommended to improve nasal airflow and breathing problems during sleep. But the method in this article has been shown to work well for both men and women over 18, creating more than 5 mm of space between the two sides of the upper jaw. Using guided midpalatal piezocorticotomy helps prevent problems like the nasal septum shifting to one side, uneven nasal cavity growth, twisting of the upper jaw, and tilting of the bite.
Take the First Step Towards Better Sleep in Boca Raton, FL
If you're in Boca Raton, FL, and suspect you might have sleep apnea or have difficluty breathing, reach out to Dr. Koval's practice today. She and her team are ready to guide you towards a more restful night's sleep. Call (954) 600-2056 now to request your appointment.