Advances in anti-aging Drug research leveraging multi-omics and artificial intelligence.

Maxillary arch constriction is a form of malocclusion observed from the primary through permanent dentition. It is influenced by environmental and genetic factors, including oral habits, perioral muscular dysfunction, and respiratory disorders. This condition is frequently associated with clinical features, such as dental crowding, crossbite, a high-arched palate, perioral muscular imbalance, and airway constriction. Furthermore, maxillary arch constriction may lead to functionally induced mandibular deviation, which contributes to temporomandibular joint symptoms, including pain, joint sounds, and restricted mouth opening. Rapid maxillary expansion (RME) is commonly used in orthodontic treatment to correct maxillary arch constriction. By applying intermittent orthopedic forces to the maxillary arch and inducing separation of the midpalatal suture, RME increases the transverse width of the dental arch, thereby facilitating the establishment of an appropriate occlusal relationship and improving functional and esthetic conditions, such as reduced masticatory efficiency and dental crowding. Following RME-induced separation of the midpalatal suture, bone healing progresses through biological processes similar to those observed in fracture healing. Mechanical forces generated during RME are transmitted not only to the midpalatal suture but also to the surrounding craniofacial sutures and periodontal tissues, where they are sensed by local cells through mechanotransduction pathways, leading to inflammatory responses, extracellular matrix remodeling, osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation, and subsequent bone formation. To assess this healing process, occlusal radiography and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) were performed at different stages of treatment to evaluate suture separation, subsequent bone formation, and three-dimensional changes in palatal morphology. Bone formation is a multistep biological process involving diverse cell types, including inflammatory cells, mesenchymal stem cells, osteoblasts, osteoclasts, chondrocytes, and endothelial cells, as well as growth factors and cytokines. Recently, epigenetic regulation, particularly DNA methylation, has been implicated in the regulation of bone metabolism–related genes ( and ), which govern cellular functions essential for bone formation. DNA methylation is a key epigenetic mechanism that regulates gene expression and contributes to disease-related processes. It is dynamically modified in response to genetic background and environmental factors, resulting in long-term alterations in cellular and tissue phenotypes. However, DNA methylation dynamics associated with the healing process following RME in orthodontic treatment remain poorly characterized. Elucidating DNA methylation changes before and after treatment is essential not only for advancing our understanding of epigenetic mechanisms underlying biological responses to orthodontic therapy, but also for providing novel insights into epigenetically mediated therapeutic interventions and treatment-related biological adaptations through alterations in DNA methylation of target genes. Moreover, only a limited number of studies in dentistry, including orthodontics, have examined changes in DNA methylation dynamics before and after treatment.