Effects of novel microimplant-assisted rapid palatal expanders manufactured by 3-dimensional printing technology: A finite element study

• Published in: American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics 2023-11, Vol.164 (5), p.700-711
• Main Authors: Pan, Shengyuan, Gao, Xiang, Sun, Jicheng, Yang, Zun, Hu, Bo, Song, Jinlin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0889-5406; 1097-6752
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2023.04.020

The expansion effects of several new microimplant-assisted rapid palatal expanders (MARPEs) manufactured by 3-dimensional printing technology were evaluated by finite element analysis (FEA). The aim was to identify a novel MARPE suitable for treating maxillary transverse deficiency. The finite element model was established using MIMICS software (version 19.0; Materialise, Leuven, Belgium). First, the appropriate microimplant insertion characteristics were identified via FEA, and several MARPEs with the above insertion patterns were manufactured by 3-dimensional printing technology. Then, the stress distribution and displacement prediction of the 4 MARPEs and hyrax expander (model E) were evaluated via FEA: bone-borne (model A), bone-tooth-borne (model B), bone-mucous-borne (model C), bone-tooth-mucous-borne (model D). Monocortical microimplants perpendicular to the cortical bone on the coronal plane resulted in better expansion effects. Compared with a conventional hyrax expander, the orthopedic expansion of each of the 4 MARPEs was far larger, the parallelism was greater, and the posterior teeth tipping rate was lower. Among them, the expansion effects of models C and D were the best; the von Mises peak values on the surfaces of the microimplants were smaller than those of models A and B. This study may demonstrate that the 4 MARPEs obtained more advantageous orthopedic expansion effects than a hyrax expander. Models C and D obtained better biomechanical effects and had better primary stability. Overall, model D is the recommended expander for treating maxillary transverse deficiency because its structure acts like an implant guide and is beneficial for the accurate insertion of the microimplant. •Microimplant-assisted rapid palatal expanders (MARPEs) are novel structures.•MARPEs are manufactured by 3-dimensional printing technology.•The appropriate microimplant insertion characteristics for MARPEs were identified.•The stress and displacement distribution are evaluated via finite element analysis.•This study provides a more effective rapid palatal expander in orthodontic clinics.