Separation of aligning and leveling stages to control mandibular incisor inclination: A randomized clinical trial

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine whether separating the alignment and leveling phases can reduce proclination of the mandibular incisors. Methods: Eligibility criteria included Class I subjects with an irregularity index of 3-5 mm, 3-4 mm curve-of-Spee (COS), and non-extraction treatment. Thirty adults were randomly allocated into two groups: (1) Control group was leveled and aligned simultaneously with flat archwires progressively to 0.016x0.022-in stainless-steel; (2) Experimental group was aligned first with 0.014-in-superelastic NiTi with mild accentuated COS, then leveled using 0.016x0.022-in beta-titanium accentuated COS archwires and gradually reduced the curve until flat. Mandibular incisor position and inclination were evaluated by cephalometric analysis. COS and irregularity index were evaluated in study models. Assessment was conducted twice after 0.016-in NiTi and after 0.016x0.022-in stainless-steel archwire placements. Dental changes from cephalograms and models were compared within group using paired t-test and between groups using independent t-test. Results: Control group: Round-wire-phase, mandibular incisors tipped labially (4.38° and 1 mm) with intrusion (-1.13 mm); Rectangular-wire-phase, mandibular incisors further intruded and proclined (-0.63 mm and 1.38°). Experimental group: During aligning with round accentuated COS archwires, mandibular incisors tipped very slightly labially (0.75° and 0.50 mm) with no significant intrusion; during leveling with rectangular archwires, incisors majorly intruded (1.75 mm) with slight proclination (1.81°). The experimental group had significant less incisor proclination (control: 5.76°, experimental: 2.56°) with more incisor intrusion (control: -1.75 mm, experimental: -2.13 mm). The COS in experimental group showed significant greater reduction (-2.88 mm) than that of the control group (-1.69 mm). Conclusion: In control group, mandibular incisor proclination was markedly observed in round archwires, with further proclination caused by rectangular archwires. In experimental group, minimal proclination was exhibited when accentuated COS round archwires were used for aligning. Leveling with rectangular archwires caused less proclination with more COS reduction.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar se separar os estágios de alinhamento e nivelamento reduz a projeção dos incisivos inferiores. Métodos: Os critérios de inclusão foram indivíduos Classe I com índice de irregularidade de 3-5mm, Curva de Spee (CS) de 3-4mm e tratamento sem extrações. Trinta adultos foram alocados aleatoriamente em dois grupos: o Grupo Controle (1) foi simultaneamente alinhado e nivelado com arcos planos progressivamente até atingir o 0,016" x 0,022" de aço inoxidável; o Grupo Experimental (2) foi inicialmente alinhado com arcos superelásticos NiTi 0,014" com CS levemente aumentada, em seguida nivelado com arcos de beta-titânio 0,016" x 0,022" com CS acentuada, que foi gradualmente reduzida até ficar plana. A posição e inclinação dos incisivos inferiores foram avaliadas por meio de análise cefalométrica. A CS e o índice de irregularidade foram avaliados por meio de modelos de estudo. A avaliação foi realizada duas vezes, sendo após a inserção dos arcos NiTi 0,016" e dos arcos 0,016" x 0,022" de aço. As mudanças dentárias visualizadas nos cefalogramas e nos modelos foram comparadas dentro dos grupos utilizando teste t pareado e entre os grupos utilizando o teste t independente. Resultados: Grupo Controle: estágio de arco redondo: os incisivos inferiores se inclinaram vestibularmente (4.38° e 1 mm) e intruíram (-1,13mm); estágio de arco retangular: os incisivos inferiores intruíram e se projetaram adicionalmente (-0.63mm e 1,38°). Grupo Experimental: Durante o alinhamento com arcos redondos e CS acentuada, os incisivos inferiores se inclinaram levemente para vestibular (0,75° e 0,50mm), sem intrusão significativa; durante o nivelamento com arcos retangulares, os incisivos, em sua maioria, intruíram (1,75mm), com uma leve projeção (1,81°). O grupo experimental apresentou projeção dos incisivos significativamente menor (controle: 5,76°; experimental: 2,56°), com maior intrusão dos incisivos (controle: -1,75mm; experimental: -2,13mm). A CS no Grupo Experimental apresentou redução significativamente maior (-2,88 mm) do que no grupo controle (-1,69 mm). Conclusão: No Grupo Controle, foi observada de forma notória a projeção dos incisivos inferiores nos arcos redondos, com projeção adicional causada pelos arcos retangulares. No Grupo Experimental, foi observada uma projeção mínima quando foram utilizados arcos redondos com CS acentuada para alinhamento. O nivelamento com arcos retangulares causou menos projeção com maior redução da CS.

Frictional property comparisons of conventional and self-ligating lingual brackets according to tooth displacement during initial leveling and alignment: an in vitro mechanical study / 대한치과교정학회지

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the effects of tooth displacement on frictional force when conventional ligating lingual brackets (CL-LBs), CL-LBs with a narrow bracket width, and self-ligating lingual brackets (SL-LBs) were used with initial leveling and alignment wires. METHODS: CL-LBs (7th Generation), CL-LBs with a narrow bracket width (STb), and SL-LBs (In-Ovation L) were tested under three tooth displacement conditions: no displacement (control); a 2-mm palatal displacement (PD) of the maxillary right lateral incisor (MXLI); and a 2-mm gingival displacement (GD) of the maxillary right canine (MXC) (nine groups, n = 7 per group). A stereolithographic typodont system and artificial saliva were used. Static and kinetic frictional forces (SFF and KFF, respectively) were measured while drawing a 0.013-inch copper-nickel-titanium archwire through brackets at 0.5 mm/min for 5 minutes at 36.5℃. RESULTS: The In-Ovation L exhibited lower SFF under control conditions and lower KFF under all displacement conditions than the 7th Generation and STb (all p < 0.001). No significant difference in SFF existed between the In-Ovation L and STb for a 2-mm GD of the MXC and 2-mm PD of the MXLI. A 2-mm GD of the MXC produced higher SFF and KFF than a 2-mm PD of the MXLI in all brackets (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: CL-LBs with narrow bracket widths exhibited higher KFF than SL-LBs under tooth displacement conditions. CL-LBs and ligation methods should be developed to produce SFF and KFF as low as those in SL-LBs during the initial and leveling stage.

Root surface changes during the initial leveling and alignment phase in orthodontics: a scanning electron microscopic study / 대한치과교정학회지

The purpose of this study was to investigate the root resorption and repair pattern of human teeth according to the force magnitude, direction and duration during the initial leveling and alignment phase. 40gms to 500gms of force applied to the 37 experimental teeth with duration of 3 weeks to 7 months. Then, the experimental teeth were extracted. 13 control teeth were extracted without treatment. The results are as follows: 1. 59.5% of 37 teeth exhibited root resorption. The initial resorption site was visible at the apex within 3 weeks with 100 gins samples, and the initial repair site was visible at the apex within 3 months with 400 gms samples. 2. Number of resorbed teeth increased with the duration of the force. 3. The depth of the resorption increased with the magnitude of the,force. 4. The areas of resorbed root corresponded with the loading pattern. 5. The areas of resorbed root were highly correlated with the magnitude of the force. The result of this study suggest that root resorption could occur during the initial leveling and alignment phase. These initial injuries are all small and insignificant. It is the extensive type of apical root resorption that must be regarded as deleterious to the function and stability of the tooth moved. During the initial leveling and alignment phase lighter force of the interrupted type and short treatment period would be favorable with regard to avoidance of root resorption and repair of resorbed root surface.