The Reliability of Palatal Rugae as a Landmark for Superimposition in Patients Treated with Rapid Palatal Expansion

The objective of this study is to evaluate the reliability of palatal rugae as a landmark for superimposition in orthodontic patients treated with palatal expansion. Pre- and post-treatment 3D digital scans and Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) scans were obtained in 15 patients treated with Rapid Palatal Expansion (RPE). The scans from each timepoint were fit to corresponding structures in their associated CBCTs, and the new volumes were oriented to a common coordinate system. Voxel-based superimpositions of pre- and post-treatment volumes were made for each patient using stable structures identified by “gold-standard” Bjork studies. A second set of surface-based superimpositions were made using palatal rugae. Concordance between the two methods was compared, and the two methods of superimposition did not agree. Palatal rugae is not a reliable landmark for superimposition in orthodontic cases treated with rapid palatal expansion.Master of Scienc