Abstract
BackgroundOrthodontic force may affect not only periodontal ligaments, but also the alveoloar bone and the gingiva according to the type of tooth movements. The authors assessed changes in gingival thickness (GT) and alveolar bone thickness (ABT) after orthodontic treatment using a new method.MethodsThis study included 408 teeth (208 central incisors, 200 lateral incisors) from the upper and lower 4 anterior teeth of 52 patients who had completed orthodontic treatment. GT and ABT were measured using virtual casts fabricated from impressions and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Two sectioned images of every tooth axis were acquired by partitioning each tooth with a line connecting the midpoint of the incisal edge to the midpoint of the cementoenamel junction in the virtual models and the root apex in CBCT images. After superimposing the two sectioned images, GT and ABT were measured before and after orthodontic tooth movement. Correlations between GT and ABT before and after treatment, and changes in GT and ABT associated with sex, tooth arch, tooth position, orthognathic surgery, and tooth inclination and rotation were assessed.ResultsBefore orthodontic treatment, GT and ABT were significantly correlated. Patients who underwent orthognathic surgery exhibited an increase in GT thickness compared with those who did not. ABT was significantly decreased in proclined teeth and in rotated teeth.ConclusionsGT and ABT can be affected by the nature of tooth movement and can be accurately assessed by comparing sectioned CBCT images and virtual models.
Highlights
Orthodontic force may affect periodontal ligaments, and the alveoloar bone and the gingiva according to the type of tooth movements
Using measurement data acquired, we studied correlations between gingival thickness (GT) and alveolar bone thickness (ABT) before and after orthodontic treatment, and the changes in GT and ABT associated with various factors including sex, tooth arch, tooth position, orthognathic surgery, and tooth inclination and rotation
There was a significant correlation between GT and ABT, which was evident only before orthodontic treatment (p < 0.05) (Table 2)
Summary
Orthodontic force may affect periodontal ligaments, and the alveoloar bone and the gingiva according to the type of tooth movements. The purpose of orthodontic treatment was simple tooth alignment; aesthetic improvement in physiognomy, completion of occlusion, and the aesthetics of periodontal tissue have become important factors in responding to patient. Orthodontic treatment offers many benefits to patients including tooth alignment, establishment of occlusion, and aesthetic improvement of physiognomy, large amounts of tooth movement can cause unexpected adverse side effects such as root resorption, bone dehiscence, bone perforation, and gingival recession [4, 5]. Orthodontic force(s) affects periodontal ligaments and roots, and alveolar bone If it is beyond the physiological range of force suitable for a tooth of a tooth and its surrounding tissues, side effects, such as root resorption and alveolar bone resorption, may occur after orthodontic treatment [7]
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