Two different designs of mini-screw assisted maxillary expanders, using FEM to analyse stress distribution in craniofacial structures and anchor teeth

Mauro Cozzani; Ludovica Nucci; Daniela Lupini; Domenico Tripodi; Niloofar Noori; Mojtabah Hasani; Abdolreza Jamilian

doi:10.1016/j.ortho.2022.100607

Two different designs of mini-screw assisted maxillary expanders, using FEM to analyse stress distribution in craniofacial structures and anchor teeth

Int Orthod. 2022 Mar;20(1):100607. doi: 10.1016/j.ortho.2022.100607. Epub 2022 Feb 1.

Authors

Mauro Cozzani¹, Ludovica Nucci², Daniela Lupini³, Domenico Tripodi⁴, Niloofar Noori⁵, Mojtabah Hasani⁶, Abdolreza Jamilian⁷

Affiliations

¹ Instituto Giuseppe Cozzani, La Spezia, Italy.
² Multidisciplinary Department of Medical-Surgical and Dental Specialties, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy.
³ Department of Orthodontics, University of Trieste, Giulianova, Italy.
⁴ Specialisation School in Paediatric Dentistry, Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological SciencesUniversity "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
⁵ Department of orthodontics, Dental School, Cranio Maxillofacial Research Center, Tehran medical sciences Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
⁶ Mechanical Engineering Department, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.
⁷ Department of orthodontics, Dental School, Cranio Maxillofacial Research Center, Tehran medical sciences Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: info@jamilian.net.

PMID: 35115235
DOI: 10.1016/j.ortho.2022.100607

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyse the displacement, strain, and stress distribution of various craniofacial structures after applying maxillary expansion with two different bone-borne Haas-inspired miniscrew-assisted maxillary expander (BB HIMAME) and bone-tooth-borne miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expander (BTB MARPE) using three-dimensional finite element analysis (3D FEA).

Material and methods: two expanders including bone-anchored maxillary expander and bone tooth-borne were designed to simulate expansion in a 3D FEA. Expanders were activated transversely for 0.2mm. The stress distribution and displacement of various craniofacial structures and anchor teeth were calculated.

Results: The finding showed that the amount of stress in all sutures was greater in BB than BTB expander. The greatest stress was induced in the fronto-maxillary suture in the BB expander, which was 4.45MPa. While it was 0.7MPa in BTB. Anchor tooth showed tipping movement in BTB expander, although the crown and apex of the anchor tooth moved in the same direction with BB device.

Conclusions: It is recommended that the BB expander is used when bodily movement of anchor tooth is needed. BTB may serve as an effective modality for cases with low-quality bone conditions. BTB appliance creates some extent of tipping on anchor teeth.

Keywords: Bone borne; Expander; Expansion; Finite element analysis; Tooth-borne.

MeSH terms

Bone Screws
Finite Element Analysis
Humans
Maxilla* / surgery
Orthodontic Appliance Design*
Palatal Expansion Technique