A method and system for staging the maturity of the mid-palatal suture

Abstract

This invention provides a method and system for staging the maturity of the mid-palatal suture. The method includes: S1, acquiring CBCT images of the subject; S2, pseudo-colorization processing, based on complementary color coding rules and the bone density range characteristics of the mid-palatal suture region, editing the HU value of each interval to correspond to the values ​​of each of the three RGB primary colors, and defining low-density and high-density areas according to the HU values ​​to obtain pseudo-colorized images; S3, setting the range values ​​for thin-layer reconstruction; S4, adjusting the head position in the coronal and sagittal views of the subject so that the transverse section passes through the center of the hard palate; in the transverse view, adjusting the sagittal plane to pass through the ANS and PNS points; S5, truncating the anterior and posterior coronal observation planes; S6, using the acquired anterior and posterior coronal observation planes to evaluate the maturity of the mid-palatal suture and perform staging. The method and device of this invention can assess the maturity of the patient's mid-palatal suture, assist doctors in making decisions on complex and diverse arch expansion plans, and reduce the failure rate of arch expansion and iatrogenic trauma.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method and system for staging the maturity of the palatal midline, belonging to the field of oral medicine technology. Background Technology

[0002] Maxillary transverse deficiency (MTD) requires correction through maxillary expansion. The midpalatal suture is the direct target of maxillary expansion; it is formed by the end-to-end connection of the two hard palates and continues superiorly with the lower border of the vomer. Opening the midpalatal suture is fundamental to the success of maxillary expansion treatment. It is generally believed that the midpalatal suture ossifies from posterior to anterior in the sagittal direction during individual development. The ossification status varies greatly between individuals and between different segments within the same individual. Accurate assessment of the ossification status of the midpalatal suture is crucial for selecting the expansion method and timing.

[0003] There are various methods of maxillary expansion, differing in terms of force application and the extent of trauma. With the progression of palatal suture ossification, the risk of failure in separating the palatal suture increases with non-surgical expansion methods, including tooth-supported expansion and microimplant-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE). These methods often require additional surgical intervention to separate the surrounding resistance of the maxilla and palate to assist in maxillary expansion. However, the indications for various expansion methods are currently unclear, and expansion failures and iatrogenic trauma due to inappropriate intervention methods and timing are not uncommon. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a method and system for staging the maturity of the mid-palatal suture. It uses image processing technology to identify the morphology and ossification closure of the mid-palatal suture, assesses the maturity of the patient's mid-palatal suture, assists doctors in making decisions on complex and diverse palatal expansion procedures, and reduces the failure rate and iatrogenic trauma of palatal expansion.

[0005] To achieve this objective, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention provides a method for staging the maturity of the mid-palatal suture, comprising the following steps:

[0007] S1. Acquire CBCT images of the subject with the head in a natural head position and the bite in the intercuspal position;

[0008] S2. Pseudo-colorization processing: Based on the complementary color coding rule and the bone density range characteristics of the palatal midline region, the HU value of each interval is edited to correspond to the values ​​of each of the three RGB primary colors, and low-density areas and high-density areas are defined according to the HU value to obtain pseudo-colorization images.

[0009] S3. Set the thin-layer reconstruction range value, and use the thin-layer reconstruction method to adjust the sagittal layer thickness to 2.0-2.5mm, the cross-sectional layer thickness to 5.0-5.5mm, and the coronal layer thickness to 5.0-5.5mm;

[0010] S4. In the coronal and sagittal views of the subject, adjust the head position so that the transverse section passes through the center of the hard palate; in the transverse view, adjust the sagittal section to pass through the ANS point and the PNS point.

[0011] S5. Use the cross section to determine the location of the transverse palatal suture. On the cross section view, position the coronal plane 2.5-3 mm in front of and behind the transverse palatal suture, and cut the anterior and posterior coronal planes for observation.

[0012] S6. Use the obtained anterior and posterior coronal observation planes to evaluate the maturity of the palatal midline and stage it.

[0013] In this invention, CBCT is short for Cone Beam CT, which is a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging system. Its principle involves an X-ray generator performing a circular DR (digital radiography) around the subject using a relatively low dose of radiation (typically around 10 mA tube current). The data obtained from the "intersection" of multiple (180-360 times, depending on the product) digital imagings around the subject is then "reconstructed" in a computer to obtain a three-dimensional image. The imaging principle of CBCT is completely different from traditional sector-scan CT, although the algorithm for subsequent computer reconstruction shares similarities.

[0014] In this invention, the thickness of the sagittal layer is adjusted to 2.0-2.5 mm, the thickness of the transverse layer is adjusted to 5.0-5.5 mm, and the thickness of the coronal layer is adjusted to 5.0-5.5 mm using a thin-layer reconstruction method, so as to facilitate the observation of the transpalatal suture, vomer, anterior nasal spine (ANS point) and posterior nasal spine (PNS point).

[0015] Preferably, the CBCT images are acquired with the following scanning parameters: tube voltage 110kV, tube current 2.81mA, voxel layer thickness 0.30mm, and scanning time 8.9s.

[0016] Preferably, in step S2, the HU values ​​for each interval correspond to the values ​​of each of the three primary RGB colors as follows:

[0017] 0-150HU: R: 78, G: 0, B: 0;

[0018] 150-250HU: R: 155, G: 0, B: 0;

[0019] 250-350HU: R: 255, G: 0, B: 0;

[0020] 350-500HU: R: 255, G: 155, B: 0;

[0021] 500-600HU: R: 255, G: 255, B: 0;

[0022] 600-850HU: R: 155, G: 255, B: 0;

[0023] 850-1000HU: R: 0, G: 255, B: 0;

[0024] 1000-1250HU: R: 0, G: 155, B: 0;

[0025] 1250-2000HU: R: 0, G: 100, B: 0.

[0026] Preferably, in step S2, 0-600 HU is defined as a low-density area, including cancellous bone; and greater than 600 HU is defined as a high-density area, including cortical bone.

[0027] Preferably, step S6 includes: the anterior and posterior coronal planes can be divided into three states: through type, semi-ossified type, and ossified type. The through type is defined as the palatine suture that is not closed between the palatine bones and between the palatine bone and the vomer. The semi-ossified type is defined as the palatine suture that is vertically open to one side. The ossified type is defined as the palatine suture that is closed on both the vomerine side and the palatine side.

[0028] Preferably, step S6 further includes: according to the continuity of the mid-palatal suture in the posterior coronal plane, the following stages can be performed: complete continuity is stage I, partial ossification closure is stage II or III, and complete ossification closure is stage IV or V; for individuals with partial ossification closure in the posterior coronal plane, if the anterior coronal plane is complete, it is classified as stage II, and if the anterior coronal plane is partially ossified, it is classified as stage III; for individuals with complete ossification closure in the posterior coronal plane, if the anterior coronal plane is complete / partially ossified, it is classified as stage IV, and if the anterior coronal plane is completely ossified, it is classified as stage V.

[0029] Preferably, in the pseudo-color imaging, low-density areas appear red-yellow and high-density areas appear green; For the penetrating type: no areas with high ossification were found on the vomer side, middle, and oral side of the palatal midline, but there were vertically penetrating black-red-yellow areas or bands; For the semi-ossified closed type: only the vomer side, oral side, or middle area had high ossification, which appeared green; the remaining parts had lower ossification and appeared black-red-yellow; ossified samples with an oral side indentation depth exceeding 1 / 2 of the hard palate thickness were also semi-ossified closed type; For the ossified closed type: both the vomer side and oral side had high ossification, which appeared green; the middle area could be high-density bone, which appeared green, interspersed with a small amount of low-density bone, which appeared red-black.

[0030] In a second aspect, the present invention provides an indication for maxillary expansion, wherein the indication is the palatal suture maturity staging result obtained by the method described in the present invention. For stage I and II, non-surgical tooth-supported expansion or implant-assisted maxillary expansion is preferred; for stage III, the palatal suture has certain resistance, and if implant-assisted maxillary expansion is used alone, stable bony anchorage is required to fully transmit the expansion force, otherwise there is a certain risk of failure; for stage IV and V, it is recommended to release some of the bony expansion resistance to varying degrees through surgery under local or general anesthesia before performing maxillary expansion.

[0031] Preferably, the method for staging the maturity of the palatal midline of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0032] S1. Acquire CBCT images of the subject with the head in a natural head position and the bite in the intercuspal position;

[0033] S2. Pseudo-colorization processing: Based on the complementary color coding rule and the bone density range characteristics of the palatal midline region, the HU value of each interval is edited to correspond to the values ​​of each of the three RGB primary colors, and low-density areas and high-density areas are defined according to the HU value to obtain pseudo-colorization images.

[0034] S3. Set the thin-layer reconstruction range value, and use the thin-layer reconstruction method to adjust the sagittal layer thickness to 2.0-2.5mm, the cross-sectional layer thickness to 5.0-5.5mm, and the coronal layer thickness to 5.0-5.5mm;

[0035] S4. In the coronal and sagittal views of the subject, adjust the head position so that the transverse section passes through the center of the hard palate; in the transverse view, adjust the sagittal section to pass through the ANS point and the PNS point.

[0036] S5. Use the cross section to determine the location of the transverse palatal suture. On the cross section view, position the coronal plane 2.5-3 mm in front of and behind the transverse palatal suture, and cut the anterior and posterior coronal planes for observation.

[0037] S6. Use the obtained anterior and posterior coronal observation planes to evaluate the maturity of the palatal midline and stage it.

[0038] Preferably, in step S2, the HU values ​​for each interval correspond to the values ​​of each of the three primary RGB colors as follows:

[0039] 0-150HU: R: 78, G: 0, B: 0;

[0040] 150-250HU: R: 155, G: 0, B: 0;

[0041] 250-350HU: R: 255, G: 0, B: 0;

[0042] 350-500HU: R: 255, G: 155, B: 0;

[0043] 500-600HU: R: 255, G: 255, B: 0;

[0044] 600-850HU: R: 155, G: 255, B: 0;

[0045] 850-1000HU: R: 0, G: 255, B: 0;

[0046] 1000-1250HU: R: 0, G: 155, B: 0;

[0047] 1250-2000HU: R: 0, G: 100, B: 0.

[0048] Preferably, in step S2, 0-600 HU is defined as a low-density area, including cancellous bone; and greater than 600 HU is defined as a high-density area, including cortical bone.

[0049] Preferably, step S6 includes: the anterior and posterior coronal planes can be divided into three states: through type, semi-ossified type, and ossified type. The through type is defined as the palatine suture that is not closed between the palatine bones and between the palatine bone and the vomer. The semi-ossified type is defined as the palatine suture that is vertically open to one side. The ossified type is defined as the palatine suture that is closed on both the vomerine side and the palatine side.

[0050] Preferably, step S6 further includes: according to the continuity of the mid-palatal suture in the posterior coronal plane, the following stages can be performed: complete continuity is stage I, partial ossification closure is stage II or III, and complete ossification closure is stage IV or V; for individuals with partial ossification closure in the posterior coronal plane, if the anterior coronal plane is complete, it is classified as stage II, and if the anterior coronal plane is partially ossified, it is classified as stage III; for individuals with complete ossification closure in the posterior coronal plane, if the anterior coronal plane is complete / partially ossified, it is classified as stage IV, and if the anterior coronal plane is completely ossified, it is classified as stage V.

[0051] Preferably, in the pseudo-color imaging, low-density areas appear red-yellow and high-density areas appear green; For the penetrating type: no areas with high ossification were found on the vomer side, middle, and oral side of the palatal midline, but there were vertically penetrating black-red-yellow areas or bands; For the semi-ossified closed type: only the vomer side, oral side, or middle area had high ossification, which appeared green; the remaining parts had lower ossification and appeared black-red-yellow; ossified samples with an oral side indentation depth exceeding 1 / 2 of the hard palate thickness were also semi-ossified closed type; For the ossified closed type: both the vomer side and oral side had high ossification, which appeared green; the middle area could be high-density bone, which appeared green, interspersed with a small amount of low-density bone, which appeared red-black.

[0052] A third aspect of the present invention provides a mid-palatal suture maturity staging system, comprising a CBCT image acquisition device, a pseudo-color processing module, a parameter editing module, and an image reading and analysis module;

[0053] CBCT image acquisition device, which captures CBCT images;

[0054] The pseudo-color processing module performs pseudo-color processing on CBCT images;

[0055] The parameter editing module allows you to set the range of values ​​for thin-layer recombination.

[0056] The image reading and analysis module is used to read the anterior and posterior coronal observation planes and perform staging.

[0057] Preferably, the CBCT image acquisition device is a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) device for oral and maxillofacial region.

[0058] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects and significant progress of applying the technical solution of the present invention are as follows:

[0059] 1. The method of the present invention is based on the morphology of the palatal midline tissue. According to the morphology of the palatal midline and the distribution of bone density shown in the CBCT palatal cross section, the palatal midline is divided into 5 stages from I to V, which is used to guide patients in choosing the arch expansion method and whether surgical arch expansion is required.

[0060] 2. This invention establishes a new, more accurate and easy-to-use method for staging the ossification maturity of the palatal midline, which can judge the degree of ossification closure of the palatal midline from the perspective of morphology and density. Attached Figure Description

[0061] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly described below.

[0062] Figure 1 This is a simplified diagram of the palatal midline maturity staging method in Example 1;

[0063] Figure 2 These are pseudo-color images of three cases from Example 2 whose palatal midline maturity stage was I;

[0064] Figure 3 These are pseudo-color images of three cases from Example 2 whose palatal midline maturity stage was II;

[0065] Figure 4 These are pseudo-color images of three cases from Example 2 whose palatal suture maturity stage was III;

[0066] Figure 5 These are pseudo-color images of three cases from Example 2 whose palatal suture maturity stage was IV;

[0067] Figure 6 These are pseudo-color images of three cases from Example 2 whose palatal suture maturity stage was V;

[0068] Figure 7 These are images of the patient before and after arch expansion in Example 3;

[0069] Figure 8 These are images of the patient before and after arch expansion in Example 4;

[0070] Figure 9 These are images of the patient before and after arch expansion in Example 5. Detailed Implementation

[0071] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the present invention is further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Experimental methods in the following embodiments that do not specify specific conditions are generally performed under conventional conditions or as recommended by the manufacturer. Unless otherwise stated, percentages and parts are weight percentages and parts by weight. Unless otherwise specified, the experimental materials and reagents used in the following embodiments are commercially available.

[0072] Unless otherwise specified, the technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. It should be noted that the terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments of this application.

[0073] To better understand this invention, the technical terms used in this invention will be explained below.

[0074] ANS, the anterior nasal spine, is the tip of the anterior nasal spine. The anterior nasal spine is often used as one of the two landmarks for determining the palatal plane.

[0075] PNS, posterior nasal spur point.

[0076] The sagittal plane is a longitudinal section that divides the human body into left and right parts along the front-back direction.

[0077] A cross section is a section perpendicular to the centerline direction through the centerline stake. Cross section measurement involves measuring the ground elevation at the centerline stake perpendicular to the centerline direction (normal direction). When conducting cross section measurement, the direction of the cross section must first be determined, and then the distance and elevation difference between the ground change points on both sides of the centerline stake and the stake point are measured in this direction, thereby drawing a cross section diagram.

[0078] The coronal plane is a cross-section that longitudinally divides the human body into front and back parts along the left and right directions.

[0079] Example 1

[0080] This embodiment of a method for staging the maturity of the mid-palatal suture includes the following steps:

[0081] S1. Acquire CBCT images of the subject with the head in a natural head position and the bite in the intercuspal position;

[0082] S2. Pseudo-colorization processing: Based on the complementary color coding rule and the bone density range characteristics of the palatal midline region, the HU value of each interval is edited to correspond to the values ​​of each of the three RGB primary colors, and low-density areas and high-density areas are defined according to the HU value to obtain pseudo-colorization images.

[0083] S3. Set the thin-layer reconstruction range value, and use the thin-layer reconstruction method to adjust the sagittal layer thickness to 2.0-2.5mm, the cross-sectional layer thickness to 5.0-5.5mm, and the coronal layer thickness to 5.0-5.5mm;

[0084] S4. In the coronal and sagittal views of the subject, adjust the head position so that the transverse section passes through the center of the hard palate; in the transverse view, adjust the sagittal section to pass through the ANS point and the PNS point.

[0085] S5. Determine the location of the transverse palatal suture using a cross-section. On the cross-sectional view, position the coronal plane 2.5-3 mm anterior and posterior to the transverse palatal suture, respectively, and cut the anterior and posterior coronal observation planes (e.g., Figure 1 (as shown);

[0086] S6. Use the obtained anterior and posterior coronal observation planes to evaluate the maturity of the palatal midline and stage it.

[0087] In this embodiment, in step S2, the HU values ​​for each interval correspond to the following RGB primary color values:

[0088] 0-150HU: R: 78, G: 0, B: 0;

[0089] 150-250HU: R: 155, G: 0, B: 0;

[0090] 250-350HU: R: 255, G: 0, B: 0;

[0091] 350-500HU: R: 255, G: 155, B: 0;

[0092] 500-600HU: R: 255, G: 255, B: 0;

[0093] 600-850HU: R: 155, G: 255, B: 0;

[0094] 850-1000HU: R: 0, G: 255, B: 0;

[0095] 1000-1250HU: R: 0, G: 155, B: 0;

[0096] 1250-2000HU: R: 0, G: 100, B: 0.

[0097] In this embodiment, in step S2, 0-600HU is defined as a low-density area, including cancellous bone; and greater than 600HU is defined as a high-density area, including cortical bone.

[0098] In this embodiment, step S6 includes: the anterior and posterior coronal planes can be divided into three states: through type, semi-ossified type, and ossified type. The through type is defined as the palatine suture that is not closed between the palatine bones and between the palatine bone and the vomer. The semi-ossified type is defined as the palatine suture that is vertically open to one side. The ossified type is defined as the palatine suture that is closed by ossification on both the vomer side and the palatine side.

[0099] In this embodiment, step S6 further includes: according to the continuity of the posterior coronal mid-palatal suture, the following stages can be performed: continuity type is stage I, semi-ossified closure type is stage II or III, and ossified closure type is stage IV or V.

[0100] For individuals with partial ossification closure of the posterior coronal plane, if the anterior coronal plane is continuous, it is classified as stage II; if the anterior coronal plane is partially ossified and closed, it is classified as stage III.

[0101] For individuals with ossification closure in the posterior coronal plane, those with perforated / partial ossification closure in the anterior coronal plane are classified as stage IV, while those with ossification closure in the anterior coronal plane are classified as stage V.

[0102] In this embodiment, on the pseudo-color image,

[0103] Low-density areas appear reddish-yellow, while high-density areas appear green.

[0104] Through type: No areas with high degree of ossification were found on the vomerine side, middle part and oral side of the palatal midline, but there were vertically penetrating black-red-yellow areas or bands.

[0105] Semi-ossified closed type: Only the vomerine side, oral side or central region has a high degree of ossification, which is green; the rest of the part has a lower degree of ossification, which is black-red-yellow; ossified samples with an indentation depth on the oral side exceeding 1 / 2 of the hard palate thickness are also semi-ossified closed type.

[0106] Closed ossification type: The vomerine and oral sides are highly ossified and are green; the middle area may be high-density bone and is green, interspersed with a small amount of low-density bone and is red-black.

[0107] Example 2

[0108] The method described in Example 1 was used to stage 15 cases. The specific method is as follows.

[0109] Step 1: Acquire the patient's CBCT images, obtain the corresponding DICOM format files, and import them into the software.

[0110] The patient's CBCT images were acquired using a KaVo OP 3D Vision (KaVo, Biberach, Germany) with the following parameters: tube voltage 110kV, tube current 2.81mA, voxel slice thickness 0.30mm, and scan time 8.9s. The scanning field of view was 23*17cm. During the examination, the patient was upright with their head in a natural head position and their occlusion in intercuspal position. The file was exported in DICOM format. It is recommended to import the DICOM file using Dolphin Software (version 11.9; Chatsworth, Calif).

[0111] Step 2: Pseudo-color encoding

[0112] Based on the complementary color coding rule and the characteristics of bone density range in the mid-palatal suture region, the HU value of each interval is edited to correspond to the values ​​of each of the three primary RGB colors.

[0113] The specific values ​​are as follows:

[0114] 0-150HU: R: 78, G: 0, B: 0

[0115] 150-250HU: R: 155, G: 0, B: 0

[0116] 250-350HU: R: 255, G: 0, B: 0

[0117] 350-500HU: R: 255, G: 155, B: 0

[0118] 500-600HU: R: 255, G: 255, B: 0

[0119] 600-850HU: R: 155, G: 255, B: 0

[0120] 850-1000HU: R: 0, G: 255, B: 0

[0121] 1000-1250HU: R: 0, G: 155, B: 0

[0122] 1250-2000HU: R: 0, G: 100, B: 0

[0123] The range of 0-600 HU is defined as the low-density area (reddish-yellow), which contains low-density bone structures such as cancellous bone; and the range of >600 HU is defined as the high-density area (green), which contains high-density bone structures such as the cortical bone.

[0124] Step 3: Set the range value for thin-layer recombination.

[0125] The sagittal slice thickness was adjusted to 2.0 mm, the transverse slice thickness to 5.0 mm, and the coronal slice thickness to 5.0 mm using the thin-layer reconstruction method to facilitate observation of the transpalatal suture, vomer, anterior nasal spine (ANS point), and posterior nasal spine (PNS point).

[0126] Step 4: Calibration

[0127] In the coronal and sagittal views, adjust the head position so that the transverse section passes through the center of the hard palate; in the transverse view, adjust the sagittal section to pass through the ANS and PNS points.

[0128] Sagittal plane: Used to adjust head position so that the transverse section passes through the center of the hard palate. Here, it is necessary to identify the boundary between the vomer and palatine bones and the lowest point of the hard palate, determining the upper and lower boundaries of the hard palate so that the transverse section passes through the center of the hard palate. The lowest point of the hard palate is defined as the lowest point of the segment between the lowest point of the posterior margin of the incisor foramen and the PNS point.

[0129] Transverse section: Used to observe the transpalatal suture and adjust the sagittal plane through the ANS and PNS points. Finally, obtain the anterior and posterior coronal observation planes.

[0130] Step 4: Obtain two coronal observation planes

[0131] The location of the transverse palatal suture is determined by cross-section. On the cross-sectional view, the coronal plane is positioned 2.5 mm anterior and posterior to the transverse palatal suture, and the anterior and posterior coronal planes are cut off for observation.

[0132] Step 5: Analyze the maturity staging method of the palatal midline in a pseudo-colorized thick-layer coronal view using the obtained observation plane.

[0133] The specific method for determining the palatal midline in stage IV is as follows:

[0134] 1. Both the anterior and posterior coronal planes can be divided into three states: continuous, semi-ossified, and ossified. A continuous type is defined as one where the interosseous space between the palatine bones and between the palatine and vomer remains open; a semi-ossified type is defined as one where the mid-palatal suture is vertically open to one side; and an ossified type is defined as one where the mid-palatal suture is closed on both the vomerine and palatal sides. These three types appear as follows on pseudo-color images:

[0135] 1) Through type: No areas with high degree of ossification were found on the vomer side, middle part and oral side of the palatal midline, but there were vertically through black-red-yellow areas or bands.

[0136] 2) Semi-ossified closed type: Only the vomer side, oral side, or central region has a high degree of ossification (green), while the rest of the area has a low degree of ossification (black-red-yellow). Ossified samples with an oral side indentation depth exceeding 1 / 2 of the hard palate thickness are also classified as semi-ossified closed type.

[0137] 3) Closed ossification type: The vomer and oral cavity sides are highly ossified (green), and the middle area may be high-density bone (green) or interspersed with a small amount of low-density bone (red-black).

[0138] 2. Based on the patency of the palatal midline as shown in the posterior coronal plane: through type (stage I) / semi-ossified closed type (stage II / stage III) / ossified closed type (stage IV / stage V).

[0139] 3. For individuals with partial ossification closure of the posterior coronal plane, a through-type anterior coronal plane is classified as Stage II, and a partial ossification closure of the anterior coronal plane is classified as Stage III. For individuals with ossification closure of the posterior coronal plane, a through-type / partial ossification closure of the anterior coronal plane is classified as Stage IV, and a complete ossification closure of the anterior coronal plane is classified as Stage V.

[0140] Step 5: Based on the maturity staging results of the mid-palatal suture of the coronal face using pseudo-colorization, select an appropriate arch expansion method.

[0141] Preliminary findings suggest that for stages I and II, non-surgical tooth-supported expansion or implant-assisted maxillary expansion should be prioritized; for stages III, the palatal suture presents some resistance, and if implant-assisted maxillary expansion is used alone, stable bony anchorage is required to fully transmit the expansion force, otherwise there is a certain risk of failure; for stages IV and V, it is recommended to release some of the bony expansion resistance to varying degrees through surgery under local or general anesthesia before performing maxillary expansion.

[0142] The results are as follows Figure 2-6 As shown, Figure 2 These are three cases from stage I of the palatal midline maturity staging method. Figure 3 These are three cases from stage II of the palatal midline maturity staging method. Figure 4 These are three cases from stage III of the palatal midline maturity staging system. Figure 5 Three cases of stage IV of the palatal midline maturity staging method. Figure 6 These are three cases classified as stage V in the palatal midline maturity staging system.

[0143] Example 3

[0144] This embodiment is a practical application of the method of the present invention.

[0145] Patient information: Female, 11 years old.

[0146] The palatal midline maturity stage I, determined using method 1, belongs to the through type.

[0147] Therefore, rapid expansion was performed using a maxillary tooth-supported expander at a rate of 0.5 mm / d.

[0148] The results are as follows Figure 7 As shown, after two weeks of arch expansion, the palatal midline has been completely separated, and the posterior teeth have reversed direction. The correction was achieved, resulting in a good bow-expanding effect. This proves that the method described in this application has correct guiding significance for the selection of bow-expanding methods.

[0149] Example 4

[0150] This embodiment is a practical application of the method of the present invention.

[0151] Patient information: Female, 24 years old.

[0152] The palatal midline maturity stage II, determined using the method in Implementation 1, belongs to the semi-ossified closed type.

[0153] Therefore, the maxillary expansion was performed using implant anchorage-assisted rapid expansion at a rate of 0.5 mm / day.

[0154] The results are as follows Figure 8 As shown, after two weeks of palatal expansion, the mid-palatal suture has been completely separated, achieving a good expansion effect. This demonstrates that the method described in this application provides correct guidance for the selection of palatal expansion methods.

[0155] Example 5

[0156] This embodiment is a practical application of the method of the present invention.

[0157] Patient information: Female, 26 years old.

[0158] The palatal midline maturity stage III, determined using the method in Implementation 1, belongs to the semi-ossified closed type.

[0159] Therefore, rapid expansion of the maxilla is performed using implant-assisted anchorage (which requires stable bony anchorage to fully transmit the expansion force), at a rate of 0.5 mm / d.

[0160] The results are as follows Figure 9 As shown, after two weeks of palatal expansion, the mid-palatal suture has been completely separated, achieving a good expansion effect. This demonstrates that the method described in this application provides correct guidance for the selection of palatal expansion methods.

[0161] The applicant declares that, in the process of describing the above-mentioned specification:

[0162] The terms "this embodiment," "an embodiment of the present invention," "as shown," "further," and "further improved technical solutions," etc., indicate that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms are not necessarily directed at the same embodiment or example, and the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined or combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Furthermore, without causing contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine or combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples.

[0163] Finally, it should be noted that:

[0164] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit them;

[0165] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention. Non-essential improvements, adjustments or substitutions made by those skilled in the art based on the content of this specification are all within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of staging maturity of the midpalatal suture, comprising: The method comprises the following steps: S1, acquiring a CBCT image of a subject with the head in a natural head position and the occlusion in a cuspid crossbite position; S2, pseudo-color processing, based on the complementary color coding rule and the bone density range characteristics of the midpalatal suture region, editing the HU value corresponding to each RGB three primary color value in each interval, and defining a low density region and a high density region according to the HU value, to obtain a pseudo-color image; S3, setting the thin layer reconstruction range value, adjusting the layer thickness of the sagittal plane to 2.0-2.5mm, the layer thickness of the transverse plane to 5.0-5.5mm, and the layer thickness of the coronal plane to 5.0-5.5mm by using the thin layer reconstruction method; S4, adjusting the head position to make the transverse plane pass through the center of the hard palate on the coronal and sagittal views of the subject; adjusting the sagittal plane to pass through the ANS point and the PNS point on the transverse view; S5, determining the position of the transverse palatine suture by using the transverse view, and cutting the anterior and posterior coronal observation planes at 2.5-3mm before and after the transverse palatine suture on the transverse view, respectively; S6, evaluating the maturity of the midpalatal suture and performing staging by using the obtained anterior and posterior coronal observation planes; In step S6, the anterior and posterior coronal planes can be divided into three states of through type, half-bone closure type and bone closure type, and the palatine bone and the interorbital bone are not closed, which is called through type; the midpalatal suture is vertically open on one side, which is defined as half-bone closure type; the midpalatal suture is bone-closed on the vomer side and the palate side, which is defined as bone-closed type.

2. A method of staging maturity of a mid-palatal suture according to claim 1, wherein, In step S2, the HU value corresponding to each RGB three primary color value in each interval is as follows: 0-150 HU: R: 78, G: 0, B: 0; 150-250 HU: R: 155, G: 0, B: 0; 250-350 HU: R: 255, G: 0, B: 0; 350-500 HU: R: 255, G: 155, B: 0; 500-600 HU: R: 255, G: 255, B: 0; 600-850 HU: R: 155, G: 255, B: 0; 850-1000 HU: R: 0, G: 255, B: 0; 1000-1250 HU: R: 0, G: 155, B: 0; 1250-2000 HU: R: 0, G: 100, B:

0.

3. A method of staging maturity of a mid-palatal suture according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, In step S2, 0-600 HU is defined as a low density region, including cancellous bone; and greater than 600 HU is defined as a high density region, including cortical bone.

4. A method of staging maturity of a mid-palatal suture according to claim 1, wherein, In step S6, the midpalatal suture of the posterior coronal plane can be staged as follows: through type is stage I, half-bone closure type is stage II or III, and bone closure type is stage IV or V; For individuals with half-bone closure of the posterior coronal plane, if the anterior coronal plane is of the through type, it is classified into stage II; if the anterior coronal plane is of the half-bone closure type, it is classified into stage III; For individuals with bone closure of the posterior coronal plane, if the anterior coronal plane is of the through type / half-bone closure type, it is classified into stage IV; if the anterior coronal plane is of the bone closure type, it is classified into stage V.

5. A method of staging maturity of a mid-palatal suture according to claim 1, wherein, In the pseudo-color image, the low density region is red and yellow, and the high density region is green. Through type: no area with high ossification degree was found in the middle of the midpalatal suture, the vomer side and the oral side, and there were vertical black-red-yellow areas or strips; Semi-ossification closed type: only the vomer side, the oral side or the middle area has high ossification degree, which is green; the rest has low ossification degree, which is black-red-yellow; the ossification type of the sample with a depth of the oral side recess exceeding 1 / 2 of the hard palate thickness is also a semi-ossification closed type; Ossification closed type: the vomer side and the oral side have high ossification degree, which is green; the middle area can be high-density bone, which is green, and the interval is a small amount of low-density bone, which is red-black.

6. A system for staging maturity of the midpalatal suture, comprising: The system comprises a CBCT image acquisition device, a pseudo-color processing module, a parameter editing module and an image reading and analysis module. The CBCT image acquisition device acquires CBCT images. The pseudo-color processing module performs pseudo-color processing on the CBCT images. The parameter editing module sets the thin layer reconstruction range value. The image reading and analysis module is used to read the front and rear coronal observation planes and perform staging. The method of the system comprises the following steps: S1, acquiring CBCT images of the subject's head in a natural head position and in a tooth tip staggered position; S2, pseudo-color processing, based on the complementary color coding rule and the bone density range characteristics of the midpalatal suture area, editing the HU value corresponding to each RGB three primary color value of each interval, and defining the low density area and the high density area according to the HU value, to obtain the pseudo-color image; S3, setting the thin layer reconstruction range value, adjusting the sagittal plane layer thickness to 2.0-2.5mm, the cross-sectional layer thickness to 5.0-5.5mm, and the coronal plane layer thickness to 5.0-5.5mm by using the thin layer reconstruction method; S4, adjusting the head position to pass through the center of the hard palate in the coronal and sagittal views of the subject; adjusting the sagittal plane to pass through the ANS point and the PNS point in the cross-sectional view; S5, determining the transverse palatine suture position by using the cross-sectional view, and positioning the coronal plane at 2.5-3mm before and after the transverse palatine suture in the cross-sectional view to obtain the front and rear coronal observation planes; S6, evaluating the maturity of the midpalatal suture and performing staging by using the obtained front and rear coronal observation planes; The CBCT image acquisition device is an oral and maxillofacial cone beam computed tomography device.

7. A system for staging maturity of a mid-palatal suture according to claim 6, wherein, ​

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