Patent nasopalatine ducts after rapid maxillary expansion

Patent nasopalatine ducts connecting the oral and nasal cavities are a rare developmental anomaly that has not been reported in the orthodontic literature. Only 36 cases of unilateral, central, or bilateral patent nasopalatine ducts are documented since the first orthodontic publication in 1881. Some patients with this condition exhibit clinical symptoms, but not all elect to have definitive treatment with surgical repair or chemical ablation. This report describes the appearance of nasopalatine ducts in an adolescent male after rapid maxillary expansion.