Periodontal evaluation in patients undergoing maxillary expansion

Maxillary transverse diameter expansion is a treatment various authors have claimed is related to the development of gingival recession on the teeth o f the upper arch. The aim of the present study was to compare such an incid ence in two different groups of patients: those treated with surgically ass isted rapid maxillary expansion and orthopedic expansion, respectively. Bot h treatments achieved the goal of expanding the transverse dimension (5.3 a nd 4.4 mm, respectively), but a significant difference was shown by the X-2 test for the incidence of gingival recession of premolar/molar upper teeth , more than double for the latter than for the former. Therefore, surgicall y assisted rapid maxillary expansion seems to be an orthodontically effecti ve procedure, safer than the orthopedic treatment regarding the possible de velopment of mucogingival problems.