MARPE and SARPE in orthodontics: past developments, current trends, and future perspectives – a bibliometric analysis
Abstract
Introduction
This study aimed to comparatively evaluate the evolution, current status, and emerging trends of research on miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) and surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion (SARPE).
Methods
Articles and reviews related to MARPE and SARPE were retrieved from the Scopus database. A total of 202 publications on MARPE and 347 on SARPE were analyzed using bibliometric methods. Bibliometric analyses were performed with the Bibliometrix (R) and VOSviewer software. The relationships between the number of publications, citation counts, and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita were examined using Pearson correlation and linear regression analyses (P < 0.05).
Results
The number of MARPE-related publications showed an average annual increase of 38.86% (SARPE: 10.38%). The mean number of citations per publication was 20.16 in the SARPE field and 13.53 in the MARPE field. The annual citation rate was 2.53 for MARPE and 1.64 for SARPE. Regarding publication output, the United States, Brazil, and South Korea were the leading countries in MARPE research, whereas Brazil, Turkey, and Germany were most prominent in SARPE. A strong positive correlation was found between GDP per capita and the mean number of citations per article (MARPE r = 0.73; SARPE r = 0.70).
Conclusions
The SARPE field possesses an established literature base primarily focused on surgical procedures. In contrast, MARPE has rapidly emerged as a growing field characterized by its minimally invasive nature and digital-oriented advancements.
© 2026 Mehmet Soybelli, published by Australian Society of Orthodontists Inc.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.