The use of micro-implant assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) for the maxillary orthopedic treatment – literature review and clinical report

Abstract

The purpose of this literature review was to describe the advantages of maxillary disjunction, using the Mini-Implant Assisted Rapid Palatal Expander (MARPE), and to illustrate the technique through a clinical case. The procedure consists of place mini-implants in an appliance that is in close contact with the palate, also having dental anchorage. The disjunction with MARPE, although not totally predictable, often makes possible the disjunction of the median palatal suture after the end of the growth period, bringing advantages when compared to the surgical disjunction, such as lower cost and lower morbidity. In the present study, a disjunction with MARPE is presented in a thirty-six-year-old patient, with a satisfactory result. Even in patients in which a conventional disjunction would still be possible, positive results are observed with the use of MARPE, with regard to less damage to the teeth and supporting periodontal tissues. In addition, stability of the disjunction is noted, improvement in the breathing and sleep pattern of the treated patients, being favorable mainly for dolichofacial and Pattern II patients, who would have an aggravation in the vertical pattern and in the mandibular clockwise rotation with the use of a conventional appliance.