Interceptive maxillary expansion in children in the early mixed dentition with maxillary anterior crowding.

AIM: The objective of this study was to assess whether maxillary expansion in the early mixed dentition in cases exhibiting anterior crowding leads to the spontaneous correction of anterior crowding.

METHODS

Thirty-seven patients were included in this retrospective cohort study. The included patients had anterior crowding of ≥ 4 mm between the upper deciduous canines or Little's index of ≥ 3 mm. All patients were treated in the early mixed dentition with RME. Pre- and post-treatment study casts were analyzed. The PAR score was assessed.

CONCLUSION

Treatment limited to RME in the early mixed dentition significantly reduced crowding in the maxillary arch. The weighted PAR exhibited a significant decrease of 21.6%; however, this does not constitute an "improvement" according to the PAR, which mandates a minimum reduction of 30 percent.