Abstract
Abstract Aim: The aim is to evaluate immediate changes of facial soft tissues following rapid maxillary expansion on face scans made by 3dMDface System. Material and method: The first sample included 25 patients with rapid maxillary expansion (RME) performed in patients with mixed dentition due to unilateral or bilateral crossbite.
The control sample included 21 patients without any orthodontic treatment. Changes in facial soft tissues were assessed in face scans made in both groups.
In MeshLab programme 15 points were established serving to measure 15 linear distances (4 horizontal, 11 vertical). In the first group the scans were made before the appliance adjustment (time TO) and after the finished expansion (time T1).
The interval between the first and second scan was 1 month in the control group. Results: Rapid maxillary expansion in mixed dentition manifested in facial soft tissues as the increase in the following parameters: nose width, dorsum nasi height, distance between pronasale and labiale superius points, height of the upper lip skin, height of the lower lip and chin, height of the lower part of face and nose tip protrusion.
Conclusion: RME therapy brings about changes of facial soft tissues. However, most changes are less than 1 mm, and, therefore, from the clinical and esthetic viewpoint their significance is controversial.