Alveolar bone defects influence rate of tooth movement

To examine how defects in alveolar bone affect movement of teeth during orthodontic treatment.

Pretreatment cone-beam computed tomography images from 26 patients: 15 females and 11 males, with a mean age of 21.5 years (SD ± 3.7 years), were used to evaluate the buccal alveolar bone on the maxillary canine. Maxillary canines (n = 52) were subsequently categorized into three groups: control or no bone defects (n = 17), fenestration (n = 20), and quasidefect (n = 15). Each canine was displaced distally for 16 weeks using nickel-titanium closed coil springs (50 g) and segmental archwire mechanics. The rate and amount of tooth movement were evaluated using superimposition of lateral cephalograms and three-dimensional digital dental models between before and after canine retraction. Rate of tooth movement was evaluated among different bone defect groups.

Rate of movement was significantly decreased in the fenestration (0.87 ± 0.23 mm/mo) and quasidefect groups (0.62 ± 0.14 mm/mo) compared to the control group (1.17 ± 0.40 mm/mo). Also, 85% of all subjects exhibited an evident asymmetric pattern of tooth movement, and 77% of these subjects presented with unilateral bone defects.

The type and existence of alveolar bone defects have a substantial effect on rate of tooth movement. Therefore, when conducting orthodontic tooth movement investigations and planning orthodontic treatment, it is important to consider the existence of alveolar bone defects.