OBJECTIVETo compare the transverse growth of the dental cast following palatal surgery with or without osteogenesis in palatal gap.

METHODS31 patients at 13 - 28 years old with repaired palate were selected to take the dental cast, the width of the dental arch, alveolar base and the matching degree between arches were measured and the average was calculated. After the length of the bone bridge in palate was measured through CT scan, the relationship between the osteogenesis in palatal gap and the transfers growth of dental cast was studied.

RESULTSThe critical length of the bone regeneration in palatal gap to affect the dental growth is 4 mm, mean while the sufficient length is 8 mm. The group of sufficient bone bridge has a better development in both the width of dental alveolar base and that of dental arch and the matching degree than the group of unsurficience. And this intendance was more obvious in premolar region than in molar region.

CONCLUSIONSThe osteogenesis in palatal gap following palatal surgery can strongly support the transfers growth in the width of dental arch, the width of alveolar base and the matching degree between upper and lower dental arch.