Assessment of The morphology and maturation of mid-palatal suture using cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT) in patients attending the University Dental Hospital, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Mid-palatal suture (MPS) undergoes progressive interdigitation with growth. In current literature, the commencement and advancement of fusion vary with factors such as age and sex. Morphology and ossification of MPS are important in managing patients with transverse maxillary deficiency. Cone Beam Computerized Tomography (CBCT) provides a 3-dimensional visualization of the MPS with high accuracy. The present study evaluates the morphology and ossification of the mid-palatal suture in different age groups, including both sexes, using the CBCT technique. CBCT scans of the maxilla were selected from the archives of the Division of Oral Medicine and Radiology, University Dental Hospital, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. The sample comprised 314 maxillary CBCTs of individuals aged 10 to 25 years. Palate was assessed in the central incisor region with the horizontal reference line running through the cancellous bone between the upper and lower cortical bone.  The morphology and maturational stage of the “MPS was determined according to Angelieri’s five-stage classification method. Percentage ossification and MPS Density Ratio were calculated to assess ossification. There was a statistically significant relationship between the MPS maturation stage and age group, and there was a significant difference between sex (p < 0.05). Both Sex and Age Groups are statistically significant with the MPS Density Ratio (p < 0.05). A statistically significant association was observed between the MPS obliteration index with age groups and sex as well (p < 0.05). The likelihood of finding a patent mid-palatal suture in post-adolescents and young adults was approximately 48.4% and the possibility of finding an open mid-palatal suture was higher among males. Therefore, Age can be considered a crucial factor in evaluating the developmental stage of the suture. These implications can be of great importance to orthodontists when maxillary expansion is required.