Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 13, 2026

Studying Orthodontic Tooth Movement in Mice
Published on: August 2, 2024
Effect of Vitamin D on Orthodontic Tooth Movement
Renu Renu1, Monica Chaurasia2, Dolma Ganz3
1Department of Dentistry, Government Medical College, Pali, Rajasthan, India.
Background:
The movement of teeth in orthodontics is controlled by the body and involves changes to the surrounding bone. Since vitamin D helps maintain healthy calcium and bones, it could affect how fast and well tooth movement happens during orthodontics.
Materials And Methods:
During the study, 30 participants (age 18-25 years) had canine retraction after having their premolars extracted. Fifteen people in Group A were each given 600,000 IU Vitamin D3 injections once monthly for 3 months. At the same time, 15 people in Group B received injections of a placebo. Applying a standardized spring force of 150 g, we measured the rate of canine movement in study models at weeks 0, 4, 8, and 12. At both baseline and after treatment, serum levels of Vitamin D in blood samples were checked.
Results:
At each interval, Group A showed greater tooth movement than Group B which was statistically significant (mean movement at 12 weeks: 2.85 ± 0.32 mm in Group A vs. 1.97 ± 0.28 mm in Group B; P < 0.001). The serum 25(OH) D in Group A increased from baseline to 52.4 ± 6.7 ng/mL following the intervention. All participants were without any negative symptoms during the study.
Conclusion:
Getting vitamin D supplements helps tooth movement in the orthodontics clinic, with no side effects, most likely because it improves the bone around the teeth.
Related Concept Videos
Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved in the process of bone remodeling. Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A, has nuclear receptors in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which are involved in bone remodeling.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor during the formation of osteoblast-related proteins, such as osteocalcin. Vitamin B12 plays a role...
Essential Minerals for Bone Health
Calcium and Phosphorus
Calcium is a critical component of bones, especially in the form of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate. Since the body cannot make calcium, it must be obtained from the diet. However, calcium cannot be absorbed from the small intestine without...
Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or...
Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin...
Hormones and Bone Tissue
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin...

