Micro-computed tomography for evaluating alveolar bone resorption induced by hyperocclusion.

Area of Science:

• Periodontal disease research
• Osteoclastogenesis
• Bone resorption mechanisms

Background:

• Occlusal trauma, caused by excessive mechanical stress (MS) during hyperocclusion, leads to alveolar bone destruction and periodontal disease.
• The CC chemokine ligand (CCL) 2/CCR2 receptor axis is implicated in MS-dependent osteoclastogenesis.
• Previous studies lacked precise methods to quantify alveolar bone changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a precise method for evaluating alveolar bone resorption induced by hyperocclusion.
• To utilize micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) for quantitative analysis of bone changes.
• To investigate the role of the CCL2/CCR2 axis in mechanical stress-induced bone loss.

Main Methods:

• Induction of occlusal force overload in 5-week-old C57/BL6 wild-type (WT), CCL2 knockout (CCL2-/-), and CCR2 knockout (CCR2-/-) mice using a stainless steel wire on molars.
• Harvesting hard tissue samples at days 0 and 7 post-induction under anesthesia.
• Analysis of alveolar bone profiles using micro-computed tomography.

Main Results:

• WT mice exhibited significant decreases in alveolar bone mineral density and marked bone resorption at day 7 compared to day 0.
• Significant alveolar bone resorption was also observed in CCL2-/- and CCR2-/- mice at day 7.
• Micro-CT successfully quantified bone changes in response to occlusal overload.

Conclusions:

• Micro-computed tomography provides a precise method for measuring bone mineral density changes in a mouse model of hyperocclusion.
• This quantitative approach is valuable for studying bone alterations in periodontal disease.
• The findings support the utility of micro-CT in advancing research on bone changes in various periodontal disease contexts.