Clear Aligner Expansion In Mixed-Dentition Adolescents: A Prospective Study

The aim of current study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness in mixed dentition patients treated with clear aligners for maxillary arch expansion. Patients exhibiting maxillary transverse deficiency underwent clear aligner treatment to facilitate expansion of the maxillary arch. Pre-treatment (T0) and post-treatment (T1) cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and lateral cephalometric radiographs were obtained and subsequently analyzed. The statistical significance was set at p<0.05. The sample consisted of 30 patients (8.63±1.07 y), 14 boys and 16 girls, treated with clear aligners for maxillary expansion. The average treatment duration was 12.33±5.60 months. The difference between T0 and T1 showed a statistical increase in the maxillary dental arch width, alveolar crest width, basal bone width.After clear aligner treatment, the replacement of permanent teeth and the time and order of deciduous teeth loss were in line with the biological law. The roots of the young permanent teeth continued to develop.Increases in nasal cavity width and oropharyngeal airway volume were noticed. In summary, clear aligners are a reasonable alternative for early treatment of maxillary transverse deficiency. In the early mixed dentition stage, clear aligner expansion therapy can effectively widen the arch width, the alveolar arch width at the level of the alveolar crest, and the basal bone arch width of the first molar. Furthermore, expansion therapy has no significant adverse effects.