Apical root resorption of upper incisors during the torquing stage of the tip-edge technique

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether treatment with the Tip-Edge appliance resulted in more apical root resorption (ARR) of the central and lateral incisors during the torquing (third stage) than the non-torquing phases (first two stages) of orthodontic treatment. The three stages of this orthodontic technique make it possible to examine the amount of root shortening during torque separately from other types of tooth movement. The ARR ratio was calculated in 31 Caucasian patients (20 females, 11 males), after the non-torquing stage of treatment and after the torquing phase, by analysing periapical radiographs taken at the beginning of treatment (T1), before the start of the torquing stage (T2), and at the end of treatment (T3). At T1, the mean age was 13 years 6 months (+/- 3 years 3 months). The mean, standard deviation and range of the ARR ratios were calculated and compared (P < 0.001). T-tests were performed to determine levels of significance, at different stages of treatment, between teeth with and without ARR (ARR ratio = 1). Root shortening at T3 was observed for 70 per cent of the central and 76 per cent of the lateral incisors. At T2, ARR was 48 and 53 per cent, respectively. Compared with T2, 38 per cent of the central incisors and 55 per cent of the lateral incisors showed ARR during the application of torque. At T3, the finding for both was 22 per cent. The mean ARR ratio for the central and lateral incisors was the same after the non-torquing stage of treatment but was significantly different from a tooth with no root resorption. After the torquing stage, the ARR ratio for the central incisors was 0.96 and for lateral incisors 0.92. At the end of treatment, the ratio was 0.89 and 0.85, respectively. This study revealed that both the central and the lateral incisors showed comparable amounts of ARR during the torquing and non-torquing stage of Tip-Edge treatment.