Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Document Type

Thesis - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.) in Dentistry

Copyright Statement

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

Department

College of Dental Medicine

First Advisor

Cristina Godoy

Date of original Performance / Presentation

January 2026

Publication Date / Copyright Date

1-1-2026

Abstract

Introduction: Transverse maxillary deficiency (TMD) in children is a common orthodontic problem that can result in crowding, crossbite, and long-term malocclusion if left untreated. Conventional treatment often involves rapid palatal expansion (RPE) or microimplant-assisted expanders (MARPE), which achieve significant skeletal changes but are associated with bulk, discomfort, and compliance challenges. Recently, clinicians have explored whether fixed orthodontic appliances with broad nickel-titanium (NiTi) archwires can achieve clinically meaningful transverse expansion while avoiding the limitations of traditional expanders. Objective: To evaluate skeletal and dentoalveolar changes produced by fixed orthodontic appliances with NiTi archwires in children with maxillary transverse deficiency and to compare these changes with untreated age-matched controls. Methods: A retrospective review of 63 pre- and post-treatment CBCT scans from children aged 6–12 years treated with broad archwire protocols was compared to 64 untreated controls with PA cephalograms. The treatment protocol typically progressed from 0.014 thermal NiTi to 0.016×0.022 thermal NiTi archwires, with occasional use of either 0.017×0.025 NiTi or stainless steel wires with expansion in <5% of cases. Measurements included intercoronal molar (ICM), interradicular molar (IRM), intercoronal incisor (ICI), interradicular incisor (IRI), intercrestal (IT), and internasal (IN) distances. Statistical analysis included paired t-tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: Both groups demonstrated statistically significant increases in most transverse measurements (ICM, IRM, ICI, IT, IN), except IRI in the treatment group, which showed no significant change. Expansion in the treatment group averaged ~2.0 mm, which was comparable to physiologic growth observed in controls (~1–2 mm/year). No significant skeletal advantage was detected in the treatment group compared with natural growth. Variability in ICI and IRI suggested dental tipping rather than true basal skeletal expansion. Conclusions: Fixed appliances with broad arch NiTi wires produced modest increases in transverse maxillary dimensions, primarily through dentoalveolar tipping rather than skeletal changes. These changes were similar in magnitude to physiologic growth and substantially less than those achieved with RPE, MARPE, or BAME. While bracket-based expansion may provide a less invasive option for mild discrepancies, it should not be considered a substitute for conventional expanders in cases requiring true skeletal correction.

Disciplines

Dentistry

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