RESUMO
PURPOSE: To evaluate the maximum strength and the maximum aperture supported by mini-implant screws of three different diameters in an in vitro rapid maxillary expander model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen appliances were mounted in artificial bone polyurethane blocks. In each appliance, a Hyrax expander anchored by four mini-implant screw sets of three different diameters were divided into: group 1 (n = 5), 1.8-mm-diameter screws; group 2 (n = 5), 2.0-mm-diameter screws; and group 3 (n = 5), 2.2-mm-diameter screws. All sets (bone blocks + expander + four mini-implants) were inserted into a customized and standardized device that simulated a mid-palate disjunction. The expanders were activated to mechanically test the insertion of the mini-implant into the devices until breakage or deflection of screws occurred. The number of activations, the maximum supported strength, and the maximum expander aperture values until failure were recorded for each group. Data were subjected to a Student t test at a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the groups regarding the number of activations up to the maximum supported strength. The expander achieved aperture values where differences were slightly significant just between groups 1 and 2 (P = .048). There was a significant difference between groups 1 and 3 regarding the maximum supported load (P = .039). CONCLUSION: Regardless of the mini-implant screw diameters, the expander device used in this anchorage system model withstood strengths and aperture rates beyond those that may be required during clinical rapid maxillary expansion.