Social and Scientific Impact of Maxillary Expansion Research: An Altmetric and Bibliometric Analysis of the 100 Most-Cited Articles

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the main characteristics of the 100 most-cited articles on maxillary expansion through bibliometric analysis and to assess their societal impact through altmetric analysis. Material and Methods: A search was conducted in July 2025 using the Web of Science Core Collection (WoS-CC) and Dimensions databases. Data extracted included citation metrics, publication details, study designs, themes, Altmetric Attention Score (AAS), Dimensions citations, and online citation sources. Citation comparisons were performed using Scopus and Google Scholar, and bibliometric maps were generated with VOSviewer software. Poisson regression was used to assess the association between WOS-CC specifications and study design, publication year, continent, and impact factor. Spearman's correlation was applied to analyze the AAS index, Dimensions citations, and online citation location. Results: The selected articles, published between 1966- and 2017, accumulated citation counts ranging from 77- to 518. The majority originated from the United States (41%). The American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics was the leading journal (57%), and interventional studies were the most common design (51%). Rapid maxillary expansion was the predominant focus (81%). The University of Florence, Italy, emerged as the most productive institution (7%), while lead authors included Franchi L, McNamara JA, and Baccetti T. Conclusion: The 100 most-cited articles on maxillary expansion focused predominantly on rapid maxillary expansion and originated primarily from the United States, with interventional designs being the most prevalent.