EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ORTHODONTIC AND SURGICAL TREATMENT METHODS FOR PATIENTS WITH A NARROW UPPER JAW, BASED ON CONE-BEAM COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY

Background. Narrow upper jaw is one of the most common skeletal abnormalities, leading to crowding of teeth, the formation of crossbite, and difficulty in nasal breathing. The treatment of this pathology is based on the effect on the median palatine suture using palatine dilation devices. However, there is a lack of information about the stability of the results of various treatments for maxillary constriction. Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness and stability of orthodontic and surgical methods of maxillary expansion in patients at the late stages of maturation of the median palatine suture Methods. 60 patients aged 14-18 years were treated in the late stages of palatine suture ossification (C, D, E according to F.Angelieri): Group I (30 patients) – palatine dilation using a fixed device, group II (30 patients) – orthodonto-surgical dilation according to the author's method. At the time of treatment, a comprehensive diagnosis was performed with repeated intraoral scanning and CBCT at 3 and 6 months of treatment, measuring the width of the upper dentition at the points of the Pont and analyzing the transversal dimensions of the jaws using the University of Pennsylvania method. Results. In group I patients, there was an increase in the width of the upper dentition in the area of the first premolars and molars to a greater extent than the width of the upper jaw in the area of the base of the zygomatic-alveolar ridge. The achieved width values after orthodontic treatment are unstable. In group II patients, there was a uniform increase in the width of the upper dentition in the area of the first premolars and molars and the width of the upper jaw in the area of the base of the zygomatic-alveolar ridge. Conclusion. The distance between the first molars and premolars of the maxilla, measured at the points of the jaw, does not always reflect the true clinical situation. To obtain accurate information about the width of the upper jaw, a CT scan of the skull is necessary. The use of the author's treatment methodology allows to achieve stable treatment results, reducing the risk of relapse.