Mini-implant assisted rapid palatal expansion: New perspectives

Maxillary endognathy is a fundamental problem of the transverse dimension, which is very common during childhood. The conventional treatment for this dysmorphia is rapid maxillary expansion using a mid-palatal jack screw. Widely described in literature, it provides many functional and morphological benefits. Unfortunately, there are side effects caused by these devices, especially in patients with thin periodontium. For improving the management of these patients, we use mini-implant assisted rapid palatal expansion. The anchorage is directly on the palate, closer to the hemimaxillary resistance center, and it allows for a better skeletal maxillary expansion. It decreases the size of the vestibular cortical is very thin. Benefits, side effects, and implementation of this device will be discussed in this article.