Abstract

CARIM, R; SHAIK, S  and  SHAIKH, A. Maturation Staging of the Midpalatal Suture using Cone Beam Computed Tomography. S. Afr. dent. j. [online]. 2025, vol.80, n.8, pp.432-440. ISSN 0375-1562.  https://doi.org/10.17159/sadj.v80i07.17552.

INTRODUCTION: Rapid maxillary expansion (RME) in a young adult is unpredictable because of individual variability in the fusion of the midpalatal suture (MPS) that may be independent of chronologic age. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine if the maturation stage of the midpalatal suture can be predicted by using a classification based on its morphology as observed on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. DESIGN: A single-centre, retrospective study. METHODS: 216 CBCT images were analysed; 125 female and 91 males, aged 7 to 78 years. The CBCT images were exported to the OnDemand3D^R software program. The most central axial cross-sectional slices were used to evaluate the suture morphology according to Ave maturational stages; namely stages A-E. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant association between ossification of the MPS and increasing chronological age. The proportion of those aged <12y was higher in stage A/B while the proportion of those aged >=30y was higher in stage E. However, large variations in the degree of closure of the MPS among subjects of the same age group were observed. CONCLUSIONS: In a patient where age might be a deterrent against the use of conventional RME, CBCT may assist in determining prospectively which patients could benefit from conventional RME.

Keywords : Midpalatal suture; cone beam computed tomography; maxillary expansion; maxillary constriction; transverse dimension; suture synostosis; suture maturation; suture morphology; skeletal maturity indicator.

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