Dimensional changes of the dental arches after orthodontic treatment
Keywords:
orthodontics; dimensional changes; post-treatment; arch perimeter; transverse width; arch length; depth of the palatal vaultAbstract
Introduction: The dimensional changes of the dental arches that occur after orthodontic treatment are considered key elements for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment plan.
Objective: To identify the dimensional changes of the dental arches that are caused by orthodontic treatment.
Methods: A descriptive, longitudinal and prospective study was carried out in patients aged 14 to 19 years, in the period from September 2020 to June 2023. The sample was made up of 30 patients who were made measurements of perimeter, transverse width and length in both arches, in addition to the depth of the palatal vault. The initial and final treatment study models were compared.
Results: It was possible to verify that there were changes in the dimensions of the arches after orthodontic treatment, characterized by increase of the perimeter, transverse width in the posterior sector in both arches and decrease in the palatine depth.
Conclusions: The use of fixed devices results in gains in the perimeter, in the transverse width and the depth of the palatal vault.
Downloads
References
1. Lima ACD, Albuquerque RC, Cunha DAD, et al. Relation of sensory processing and stomatognical system of oral respiratory children. Codas. 2021;34(2):e20200251. DOI: 10.1590/2317-1782/20212020251.
2. Álvarez-Cervantes JE, de Santiago-Tovar JR, Monjaras-Ávila AJ. Maloclusiones. Problema de Salud Bucodental. Revisión Narrativa. Educ Salud Bol Cient ICSA UAEH [Internet]. 2023 [citado 22/01/2026];12(23):79-86. Disponible en: https://repository.uaeh.edu.mx/revistas/index.php/ICSA/article/view/11177
3. González-Campoverde L, Rodríguez-Soto A, Soto-Cantero L. Factores de riesgo de la maloclusión. Medicentro Electrónica [Internet]. 2020 [citado 22/01/2026];24(4):753-66. Disponible en: http://scielo.sld.cu/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1029-30432020000400753&lng=es
4. Mollo López JR, Parrado Guzmán J, Gutiérrez Pinto A. Intervención temprana en el tratamiento de la maloclusión Clase III: Reporte de caso. Rev Inv Inf Sal [Internet]. 2023 [citado 23/01/2026];18(44):56-64. Disponible en: https://revistas.univalle.edu/index.php/salud/article/view/928
5. Mundhada VV, Jadhav VV, Reche A. A Review on Orthodontic Brackets and Their Application in Clinical Orthodontics. Cureus. 2023;15(10):e46615. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46615.
6. Koaban AM, Alwadai JM, Alghamdi AM, et al. Recent Advances in Orthodontic Brackets: From Aesthetics to Smart Technologies. Cureus. 2025;17(6):e85385. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.85385.
7. Pramustika A, Widayati R. Treatment of a Class I Malocclusion with Severe Crowding using Passive Self-Ligating Brackets. J Dent Indones. 2020;27(2):109-13. DOI: 10.14693/jdi.v27i2.1162.
8. Paulino VS, Paredes-Gallardo V, Gandía-Franco JL, et al. Evolución de las características de las arcadas dentarias en grupos de edades. RCOE [Internet]. 2005 [citado 23/01/2026];10(1):47-57. Disponible en: https://scielo.isciii.es/pdf/rcoe/v10n1/original3.PDF
9. Ahmed N, A AY, Joseph R, et al. Treatment of severe crowding with constricted arches in a patient with high angle Class I malocclusion: A case report. Int J Oral Health Dent. 2022;8(2):194-7. DOI: 10.18231/j.ijohd.2022.038.
10. Giri J, Bockmann M, Brook A, et al. Genetic and environmental contributions to the development of dental arch traits: a longitudinal twin study. Eur J Orthod. 2025;47(2):cjaf018. DOI: 10.1093/ejo/cjaf018.
11. Rossi RC, Rossi NJ, Rossi NJ, et al. Dentofacial characteristics of oral breathers in different ages: a retrospective case-control study. Prog Orthod. 2015;16:23. DOI: 10.1186/s40510-015-0092-y.
12. Willeit FJ, Cremonini F, Willeit P, et al. Stability of transverse dental arch dimension with passive self-ligating brackets: a 6-year follow-up study. Prog Orthod. 2022;23(1):19. DOI: 10.1186/s40510-022-00414-7.
13. Vidaurre-Latorre F, Iriarte M, Manríquez G, et al. Patrón de variación de la forma del arco dentario mandibular en una muestra de la Región Metropolitana de Chile. Odontoestomatología. 2024;26(43):e231. DOI: 10.22592/ode2024n43e231.
14. Carvalho JC, Vinker F, Declerck D. Malocclusion, dental injuries and dental anomalies in the primary dentition of Belgian children. Int J Paediatr Dent. 1998;8(2):137-41. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-263x.1998.00070.x.
15. Sánchez-Mejía AC, Puebla-Ramos L, Ramos-Montiel RR. Modificación del maxilar post expansión implanto-soportada en niños de 8 a 12 años. Revisión de la literatura. Rev Multidiscip Arbit Cient. 2023;7(1):2872-87. DOI: 10.56048/mqr20225.7.1.2023.2872-2887.
16. González-Rodríguez S, Soto-Cantero LA, Rodríguez-González L, et al. Diámetro transversal del maxilar en pacientes con maloclusión del Policlínico Mario Escalona. 2019. Rev Haban Cienc Méd [Internet]. 2021 [citado 22/01/2026];20(1). Disponible en: http://scielo.sld.cu/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1729-519X2021000100006&lng=es
17. Carter GA, McNamara JA. Longitudinal dental arch changes in adults. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 1998;114(1):88-99. DOI: 10.1016/s0889-5406(98)70243-4.
18. Bailey E, Nelson G, Miller AJ, et al. Predicting tooth-size discrepancy: A new formula utilizing revised landmarks and 3-dimensional laser scanning technology. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2013;143(4):574-85. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2012.09.022.
19. Liu C, Xu Y, Yi C, et al. Clinical retrospective study on the digital data of orthodontic cases by Andrews six elements. Hua Xi Kou Qiang Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2022;40(2):183-8. DOI: 10.7518/hxkq.2022.02.009.
20. Boston CE, Smith D, Ubeda C, et al. Examining the effects of artificial cranial modification on craniofacial metrics. Chungará (Arica). 2015;47(2):331-41. DOI: 10.4067/S0717-73562015005000028.
21. Barredas GJ, Píccoli GI, Dzierewianko EA. Cuando la Ortodoncia es el mejor camino. Rev Soc Argent Ortod [Internet]. 2010 [citado 23/01/2026];73(147):8-17. Disponible en: https://pesquisa.bvsalud.org/portal/resource/pt/lil-561893
22. Triana FE, Rivera SV, Soto L, et al. Estudio de morbilidad oral en niños escolares de una población de indígenas amazónicos. Colomb Med [Internet]. 2005 [citado 23/01/2026];36(4):26-30. Disponible en: https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=28320973005
23. Balanzategui C, Cruz Vigo S, Cruz Perez J. Recidiva en ortodoncia: arcada superior e inferior postratamiento. Cient Dent [Internet]. 2007 [citado 23/01/2026];4(2):145-51. Disponible en: https://pesquisa.bvsalud.org/portal/resource/pt/ibc-056367
24. Chacón Moreno A, Huasco Huarcaya N. Changes in the position and inclination of the upper incisor and upper lip post-orthodontic treatment: case reports. Rev Cient Odontol (Lima). 2023;11(3):e170. DOI: 10.21142/2523-2754-1103-2023-170.
25. Uribe Restrepo GA, Uribe Trespalacios P, Uribe Trespalacios M. Biología del movimiento dental: celular/molecular [Internet]. Antioquia: Fondo Editorial CIB; 2021 [citado 23/01/2026]. Disponible en: https://cib.org.co/producto/ebook-biologia-del-movimiento-dental-celular-molecular-libro-1/
26. Sánchez-Riofrío D, Viñas MJ, Ustrell-Torrent JM. CBCT and CAD-CAM technology to design a minimally invasive maxillary expander. BMC Oral Health. 2020;20(1):303. DOI: 10.1186/s12903-020-01292-3.
27. Yordanova G, Chalyovski M, Gurgurova G, et al. Digital Design of Laser-Sintered Metal-Printed Dento-Alveolar Anchorage Supporting Orthodontic Treatment. Appl Sci [Internet]. 2023 [citado 23/01/2026];13(13):7353. Disponible en: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7353
28. Ertugrul B, Veli İ. Evaluating the effects of orthodontic treatment with clear aligners and conventional brackets on mandibular condyle bone quality using fractal dimension analysis of panoramic radiographs. J Stomatol Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2022;123(5):538-45. DOI: 10.1016/j.jormas.2022.06.001.
29. Feu D, Catharino F, Duplat CB, et al. Esthetic perception and economic value of orthodontic appliances by lay Brazilian adults. Dental Press J Orthod. 2012;17(5):102-14. DOI: 10.1590/S2176-94512012000500015.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Claudia Pérez-Pérez, María del Carmen Cid-Rodríguez, Jorge Enrique Casas-Acosta, Maribel Sardiña-Valdés, Ibette Pérez-Pereira, Dayana Blanco-Delgado

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
All content published in this journal is Open Access, distributed under the terms of the CC BY-NC 4.0 License.
It allows:
- Copy and redistribute published material in any medium or format.
- Adapt the content.
This will be done under the following terms:
- Attribute the authors' credits and indicate whether changes were made, in which case it must be in a reasonable way.
- Non-commercial use.
- Recognize the journal where it is published.
The copyrights of each article are maintained, without restrictions.

