Maxillary transverse deficiency - surgical alternatives to management.

Management of transverse maxillary discrepancies poses treatment planning and postoperative challenges for surgeons and orthodontists. Multiple position papers have been written on the subject covering various aspects of nonoperative and surgical treatment and timing and stability issues. This article seeks not to propagate the debate of which procedure is better but rather to discuss appropriate indications for each in addition to their respective benefits and pitfalls. An historical perspective and the technical aspects of performing each operation are reviewed.