Rate of orthodontic tooth movement after changing the force magnitude: an experimental study in beagle dogs.

OBJECTIVES: To study a possible dose-response relation between force magnitude and rate of orthodontic tooth movement by altering forces during bodily orthodontic tooth movement. SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: Eight young adult beagle dogs were used. The experiments were carried out in the Central Animal Facility, and all analyses were conducted in the Department of Orthodontics and Oral Biology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Orthodontic appliances were placed exerting a reciprocal force on the mandibular second premolars and first molars. A force of 10 or 300 cN was randomly assigned to each side of the dogs. After 22 weeks, all forces were changed to 600 cN. Based on intra-oral measurements, tooth movement rates were calculated. RESULTS: The premolars showed no difference in the rates of tooth movement with 10 or 300 cN. Replacing 10 for 600 cN increased the rate, but replacing 300 for 600 cN did not. Molars moved faster with 300 than with 10 cN, and changing both forces to 600 cN increased the rate of tooth movement. Data from all teeth were pooled considering their relative root surfaces, and a logarithmic relation was found between force and rate of tooth movement. CONCLUSIONS: Only in the very low force range, a positive dose-response relation exists, while in higher force ranges, no such relation could be established.

Incidence and severity of root resorption in orthodontically moved premolars in dogs.

OBJECTIVES: To study treatment-related factors for external root resorption during orthodontic tooth movement. DESIGN: An experimental animal study. SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: Department of Orthodontics and Oral Biology, University Medical Centre Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Twenty-four young adult beagle dogs. EXPERIMENTAL VARIABLE: Mandibular premolars were bodily moved with continuous or intermittent controlled orthodontic forces of 10, 25, 50, 100, or 200 cN according to standardized protocols. At different points in time histomorphometry was performed to determine the severity of root resorption. OUTCOME MEASURE: Prevalence of root resorptions, defined as microscopically visible resorption lacunae in the dentin. Severity of resorption was defined by the length, relative length, depth, and surface area of each resorption area. RESULTS: The incidence of root resorption increased with the duration of force application. After 14-17 weeks of force application root resorption was found at 94% of the root surfaces at pressure sides. The effect of force magnitude on the severity of root resorption was not statistically significant. The severity of root resorption was highly related to the force regimen. Continuous forces caused significantly more severe root resorption than intermittent forces. A strong correlation (0.60 < r < 0.68) was found between the amount of tooth movement and the severity of root resorption. CONCLUSIONS: Root resorption increases with the duration of force application. The more teeth are displaced, the more root resorption will occur. Intermittent forces cause less severe root resorption than continuous forces, and force magnitude is probably not decisive for root resorption.

Time-dependent mechanical behaviour of the periodontal ligament.

The process of tooth displacement in response to orthodontic forces is thought to be induced by the stresses and strains in the periodontium. The mechanical force on the tooth is transmitted to the alveolar bone through a layer of soft connective tissue, the periodontal ligament. Stress and/or strain distribution in this layer must be derived from mathematical models, such as the finite element method, because it cannot be measured directly in a non-destructive way. The material behaviour of the constituent tissues is required as an input for such a model. The purpose of this study was to determine the time-dependent mechanical behaviour of the periodontal ligament due to orthodontic loading of a tooth. Therefore, in vivo experiments were performed on beagle dogs. The experimental configuration was simulated in a finite element model to estimate the poroelastic material properties for the periodontal ligament. The experiments showed a two-step response: an instantaneous displacement of 14.10 +/- 3.21 microns within 4 s and a more gradual (creep) displacement reaching a maximum of 60.00 +/- 9.92 microns after 5 h. This response fitted excellently in the finite element model when 21 per cent of the ligament volume was assigned a permeability of 1.0 x 10(-14) m4/N s, the remaining 97 per cent was assigned a permeability of 2.5 x 10(-17) m4/N s. A tissue elastic modulus of 0.015 +/- 0.001 MPa was estimated. Our results indicate that fluid compartments within the periodontal ligament play an important role in the transmission and damping of forces acting on teeth.

[Biological basis of orthodontic tooth movement]. / De biologische basis van orthodontische tandverplaatsing.

The effect of orthodontic therapy is dependent of the biological possibilities and limitations of the dento-alveolar complex. Biomechanical effects determine the first phase of tooth movement. In the second phase hyalinisation occurs in almost all cases. Elimination of the hyalinised tissue is associated with undermining bone resorption. Next, 'real' tooth movement starts. At the pressure side the normal structure of the periodontal ligament is destroyed and so is the tooth attachment. At the tension side deposition of trabecular bone is found and the tooth attachment remains. The regulation of these processes is still not completely understood, but cytokines and growth factors play an important role. The biological system does not react according to a simple dose-response relation and large individual differences in susceptibility of the system exist.

[Myth of optimal pressure]. / De mythe van de optimale kracht.

Orthodontic tooth movement always follows the same pattern. Four phases can be distinguished. During the last phase, the linear phase, the tooth moves through the alveolar bone. One could assume that the rate of tooth displacement is related to the magnitude of the force or to the pressure in the periodontal ligament. No consensus exists on the optimal pressure for orthodontic tooth movement. In literature pressures are advocated, ranging from 2 to 30 KPa. Animal experiments show that a large range of force magnitudes results in an equal rate of tooth movement. A dose-response relation is only feasible when forces are used which are far below those used in an everyday practice.

Tooth movement with light continuous and discontinuous forces in beagle dogs.

In orthodontics, no consensus exists on how to move teeth most efficiently. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of two different force regimes and two different force magnitudes on tooth displacement. A split mouth design study was conducted in young adult beagle dogs. In each dog, both mandibular third premolars were extracted, and orthodontic appliances were placed for bodily distalization of the second premolars. The forces (10 cN or 25 cN) were applied, either continuously (24 h a day) or discontinuously (active 16 h daily from 17.00 till 9.00). Individual time-displacement curves of the second premolars were constructed. Four phases of tooth movement could be distinguished. Statistical analysis showed that the choice of regime had an influence on the duration of the hyalinisation phase, while force magnitude had not. The rate of tooth movement in the linear phase was mainly regime dependent. However, force magnitude also appeared to have some influence. The individual tissue response in each dog appeared to have an influence on both the duration of the second phase and the rate in the fourth phase. It was concluded that under these experimental conditions, force regime has more influence on the rate of orthodontic tooth movement than force magnitude.