Comparison and evaluation of stresses generated by rapid maxillary expansion and the implant-supported rapid maxillary expansion on the craniofacial structures using finite element method of stress analysis

Progress in Orthodontics

Table 3 Comparison of displacement between RME and I-RME

Site	RME			Implant-supported RME
Site	“X” direction (mm)	“Y” direction (mm)	“Z” direction (mm)	“X” direction (mm)	“Y” direction (mm)	“Z” direction (mm)
Midpalatal suture	4.47	3.40	1.48	0.555	2.132	−1.242
Naso-maxillary suture	3.55	1.54	0.24	0.788	1.715	0.110
Zygomatico-maxillary suture	3.59	0.21	0.44	3.017	3.462	2.184
Pterygo-maxillary suture	4.64	1.01	0.58	1.119	2.127	1.612
Intranasal suture	0.392	1.80	−0.67	−0.72	2.28	0.045
Fronto-maxillary suture	1.53	1.18	0.03	0.12	2.39	0.45
Naso-frontal suture	0.54	1.14	0.001	−0.73	1.46	0.15
Zygomatico-temporal suture	0.78	0.49	1.38	−0.227	0.306	1.919
Zygomatico-frontal suture	0.19	0.68	1.09	0.43	1.02	1.57
Spheno-occipital synchondrosis	0.00002	0.002	0.0001	0.116	0.580	0.535

X direction, Negative value denotes lateral displacement; positive denotes medial displacement
Y direction, Negative value denotes posterior displacement; positive denotes anterior displacement
Z direction, Negative value denotes superior displacement; positive denotes inferior displacement