Date: June 2026.
Source: CRANIO® — Journal of Craniomandibular Practice, DOI: 10.1080/08869634.2026.2679779.
Objective: To determine the effects of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) on hard and facial soft tissues in children with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP).
Materials and Methods: This prospective longitudinal study comprised 34 UCLP children aged 8–10 years, with maxillary transverse constriction. The effects of RME on hard tissues were assessed using cone-beam computed tomography while facial soft tissues were assessed using three-dimensional digital stereophotogrammetry.
Results: Pyriform aperture width increased by 3.38 mm (P<0.001), alar base width increased by 2.91 mm (P=0.009), and alar base root width increased by 2.45 mm (P=0.022). Anterior maxillary basal width increased by 2.80 mm (P=0.029). Inter-zygomatic maxillary distance increased by 2.66 mm (P=0.031) and ectomolar distance increased by 3.14 mm (P=0.015). Pyriform width had strong positive correlation with alar base width (r=0.86, P=0.015) and anterior maxillary basal width had strong positive correlation with alar base root width (r=0.79, P=0.007).
Conclusions: RME produced significant increase in the nasal hard and soft tissue width with a significant positive correlation between both variables.
Article: Effects of Rapid Maxillary Expansion on Hard and Soft Facial Tissues in Children with Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate: A Correlation Study.
Authors: Maen Zreaqat, Rozita Hassan. Orthodontic Department, School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia.