Evaluation of the radiographic density of the midpalatal suture, after rapid mxillary expansion, by means of digital image and its correlation with the stages of osteogenesis

Objective: To evaluate the radiographic density in the region of the median palatal suture of patients who have undergone a rapid expansion of the maxilla at different moments of the procedure by means of digital image using the program Digora for Windows 5.6. Methods: The sample consisted of 23 patients selected males and females aged 9 to 12 years who underwent a rapid expansion of the maxilla. 69 occlusal radiographs were obtained in 3 stages of the procedure: Phase I - before the expansion, Phase II - after the expansion and Phase III - 3 months after the expansion. Thus, all rays passed through the process of digitization by scanner and then, to finish the readings of radiographic density, it was used Digora program for Windows 5.6. In this program, three areas of interest along the median palatine suture were determined: area A, B and C. Thus, the values of density were obtained and statistically processed to obtain the results. Results: The inferential results showed that the average levels of gray areas A (p <0001) and B (p <0001) are not statistically the same over the three stages of collection and the initial and final verages are different with significance of 5%. Conclusions: It was observed that the process of new bone formation was not completed until the third month follow-up post-restraint, so it is suggested that a time longer than 3 months of restraint in order to control the undesirable recurrences and improve the stability of treatment. For the analysis of radiographic density, the results founded in scanned images are more conclusive and superior by being represented by numbers and allows the operator to adjust the image as needed.Objetivo: Avaliar a densidade radiográfica na região da sutura palatina mediana de pacientes que foram submetidos a expansão rápida da maxila em diferentes momentos do procedimento, por meio de imagem digitalizada, utilizando o programa Digora for Windows 5.6. Métodos: A amostra constou de 23 pacientes selecionados do gênero masculino e feminino com idade de 9 a 12 anos que foram submetidos a expansão rápida da maxila. Foram obtidas 69 radiografias oclusais em 3 fases do procedimento: Fase I – antes da expansão; Fase II – logo após a expansão e Fase III – 3 meses após o término da expansão. Sendo assim, todas radiografias passaram pelo processo de digitalização via scanner e em seguida para que a realização das leituras da densidade radiográfica se concluísse foi utilizado o programa Digora For Windows 5.6. Neste programa, três áreas de interesse ao logo da sutura palatina mediana foram determinadas: área A, B e C. Desta forma, os valores de densidade foram alcançados e tratados estatisticamente para a obtenção dos resultados. Resultados: Os resultados inferenciais revelaram que os níveis médios de cinza das áreas A (p<0,001) e B (p