Year: 2025 | Month: April | Volume: 15 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 349-361
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20250449
Micro-implant Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion (MARPE): A Comprehensive Review on Biomechanics, Clinical Protocols, and Recent Advances
Dr Subrat Kumar Satapathy1, Dr Nikita Agarwal2
1Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, 2Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics,
SCB Dental College, Utkal University, Cuttack, India.
Corresponding Author: Dr Subrat Kumar Satapathy
ABSTRACT
Mini-implant Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion (MARPE) is a non-surgical orthopedic procedure aimed to treat maxillary transverse inadequacies among adolescent and mature patients. Traditional rapid palatal expanders work differently from MARPE, with the latter utilising mini-implants in order to receive skeletal anchorage, thus alleviating undesirable tipping of the dental structures and more effective skeletal broadening. It is especially indicated for patients past the conventional age of growth development, where classic expansion techniques yield poor results.
MARPE appliances have a central jackscrew retained by mini-implants that are fixed in the mid-palatal suture, providing more orthopedic forces for the separation of the skeletal structures. The success of MARPE is dependent on accurate case selection, optimal appliance design, and compliance with activation protocols. Its efficacy has been proven through studies to achieve opening of the mid-palatal suture, enhance nasal airway volume, and enhance facial aesthetics. MARPE has also been proven effective in treating obstructive sleep apnea by widening the nasal cavity.
Although MARPE has its benefits, it is not without its limitations, such as potential failure in heavy mid-palatal suture resistance cases, discomfort, and some minor complications such as irritation of soft tissues. Recent developments in imaging technologies, such as CBCT, have been a valuable factor in enhanced diagnosis, treatment planning, and outcome assessment in MARPE therapy.
As an alternative to surgically assisted expansion methods, MARPE is a milestone in orthodontics, lying in between traditional and surgically assisted maxillary expansion.
Key words: MARPE (Micro-implant Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion), Maxillary Expansion, Palatal Sutures, Skeletal Expansion, Orthopedic Treatment, Dentoalveolar Changes, Cephalometric Analysis, Miniscrew Implants, Maxillary Deficiency, Bone-borne Expander