Quantitative evaluation of palatal bone thickness to guide miniscrews insertion: a CBCT assessment

Introduction: The use of mini-implants has become common in orthodontic practice as it has increased the possibility of skeletal anchorage. The palate constitutes a site of choice for the insertion of miniscrews purposes because it is a site with relatively safety with appropriate bone thickness and less suitability for inflammation. Aim: To quantitatively evaluate the thickness of the palatal bone for miniscrews insertion. Material and Methods: Forty-seven sets of cone beam computed tomographic (CBCT) images were selected. The sample consisted of cone beam computed tomography from 47 patients (20 male, 27 female; mean age 22.4 years old/± 3.01 years). Palatal bone thickness (PBT) was measured in millimeters (mm) with 5 regions of interest (ROIs) which were determined used the coronal reconstructions of the patatal area: 4, 6, 8 and 10 mm posterior to the incisive foramen were evaluated. A total of 940 ROIs were evaluated. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed for PBT between various palatal sections (p