KP Journal of Dentistry and Oral Health

Review Article

Maxillary Growth and Development, and “Structural Analysis” of Maxillary Treatment Changes

Ib Leth Nielsen*

Department of Orofacial Sciences, Division of Orthodontics, University of California, San Francisco, USA

Received: Aug 02, 2025; Published: Aug 18, 2025

*Corresponding author: Ib Leth Nielsen, DDS, MSc. Professor (Emeritus), Department of Orofacial Sciences, Division of Orthodontics, University of California, San Francisco, USA

Copyright: © 2025 Nielsen IL, This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

DOI: 10.71205/KPJDOH/1002

Abstract

The maxilla is a complex structure, and its growth and development are often not considered in the treatment planning of an orthodontic patient. Whereas the mandible has received great attention in the orthodontic literature, partly because it largely determines the facial appearance of most individuals, the maxilla has often been left behind. In this review, we will look at the early development of the maxilla, its anatomy, and its relationship to the surrounding bones. We will also examine the normal growth of the maxilla without the influence of treatment, to better understand its role in the development of malocclusions. We shall further review the normalsutural changes in all three dimensions over time and how these changes determine growth and displacement of the maxilla. The use of metallic implants has greatly contributed to a better understanding of maxillary growth. Studies employing this technique have revealed the complexity of changes over time. Implant studies have also shown that the maxilla, like the mandible, undergo rotational changes during growth. Rotational changes during growth are not limited to humans but also occur in non-human primates that have been studied in detail using the implant technique. Maxillary growth changes after orthodontic treatment has long been challenging to study accurately. The most common approach has been to analyze cases using the so-called “best fit technique,” where two cephalometric headfilms are superimposed on the palatal plane registered at the anterior nasal spine. Prior to the implant studies, orthodontists were unaware that the maxilla undergoes extensive modeling during growth, which can mask the actual changes. In this review, we present an analysis approach called the “structural technique,” which is based on information from implant studies. Finally, we will present an example of a treated case where this analysis is applied. We shall also present a new analysis that includes the dental changes.

Keywords

Early maxillary development; The maxilla’s anatomy; Maxillary skeletal development; Dento-alveolar development of the maxilla; Structural analysis of maxilla

Citation: Nielsen IL (2025). Maxillary Growth and Development, and “Structural Analysis” of Maxillary Treatment Changes. KP J Dent Oral Health. 2025; 1(1): 1002