Assessment of Palatal Mucosal Thickness in Different Vertical Skeletal Pattern: a 3D Analysis

Central Hospital, Nancy, France

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Palatal Mucosa Thickness

Treatments: Other: Measurement of palatal mucosa thickness on CBCT scans

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06224478

2023PI218

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study assesses the potential statistical correlation between vertical facial pattern and palatal mucosa thickness.

Data collection : dicom files (CBCT) merged with STL files of n patients for soft tissue visualization

Aim: to volumetrically assess (with CBCT) the palatal mucosa thickness in different vertical facial types to aid clinicians in the planning and placement of orthodontic miniscrews.

Hypothesis : There is no significant difference between the 3 groups studied (i.e. no correlation between palatal mucosa thickness and vertical facial typology).

Full description

Study rationale : The use of palatal miniscrew offers the possibility to improve the effectiveness of orthodontic expansion devices. Palatal expanders supported by miniscrew can be applied with different clinical protocols. The palatal mucosa thickness affects the choice of miniscrew length.

Justification for overlaying on STL files: When the lingual dorsum and palatal mucosa are in mutual contact during CBCT examination, it is not possible to distinguish one from the other during subsequent imaging evaluation. Various methods have been proposed to overcome these limitations, including the superimposition of the dicom and stl files: this methodology enables the profile of the palatal mucosa to be distinctly identified in all the analyzed scans.

Enrollment: 100 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 16+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Full permanent dentition (except for third molar)
• Normal craniofacial development
• Aged > 16 years
• Complete skeletal maturity (assessed by the cervical vertebral maturation method)
• Absence of previous orthodontic or orthognatic surgical treatment

Exclusion criteria

• Absence of any tooth other than the third molar
• Maxillary impacted tooth
• CBCT scans taken without teeth in occlusion/open bite
• Distorting pathologies of the facial mass affecting the palatal zone
• Periodontal or endodontic diseases affecting the bone
• Presence of metallic artifact
• History of previous orthognatic or orthodontic surgeries

Trial design

100 participants in 3 patient groups

Hypodivergent

Treatment:

Other: Measurement of palatal mucosa thickness on CBCT scans

Normodivergent

Treatment:

Other: Measurement of palatal mucosa thickness on CBCT scans

Hyperdivergent

Treatment:

Other: Measurement of palatal mucosa thickness on CBCT scans