A Bibliometric Analysis of Accelerated Orthodontics Research in the Middle East Across Three Major Databases

Accelerated orthodontics seeks to reduce the prolonged duration of conventional orthodontic treatment and the associated pain and discomfort, particularly among adult patients. A growing body of invasive, minimally invasive, and noninvasive techniques, ranging from corticotomy and periodontally accelerated osteogenic orthodontics to piezocision, micro-osteoperforations, and low-level laser therapy (LLLT), has stimulated regional research activity and prompted the need to map scholarly output and trends across the Middle East. The objective of this work was to perform a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of accelerated orthodontics publications originating from Middle Eastern countries (2008-2025), identifying publication trends, leading authors and institutions, dominant research themes, citation impact, and patterns of regional collaboration to inform future clinical research priorities. A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted in September 2025 using a predefined strategy. The PICOS criteria included adult patients (≥18 years) receiving fixed or removable orthodontic treatment with adjunctive acceleration methods; comparators were conventional treatment without acceleration; outcomes were treatment duration or rate of tooth movement; and eligible study designs were randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and systematic reviews published in English between 2005 and 2025. Search results from the three databases were exported to EndNote and analyzed with the VOSviewer software (version 1.6.20) to generate co-authorship, co-citation, and keyword networks. Two independent reviewers screened titles/abstracts and full texts, with a third reviewer resolving discrepancies. Extracted bibliometric indicators included publication counts, citation totals, author and institutional affiliations, article types, and keyword clusters. Following the predefined search strategy, a total of 973 articles were initially identified and screened for relevance. After this screening process, 65 publications were included in the final analysis. The final corpus comprised 48 randomized controlled trials (76%), 16 systematic reviews (23%), and one cohort study (1%). Annual output and citations rose markedly from 2013 onward, with an exponential surge between 2021 and 2024 and a peak in 2022 (19 articles; 320 citations). A total of 120 authors contributed; the most prolific authors were Hajeer MY, Burhan AS, and Ajaj MA, with 14 of the top 15 authors affiliated with Syria. Damascus University produced 52 publications, and Syria led citation impact (1,772 citations), followed by Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Keyword analysis revealed four thematic clusters: pain and discomfort, acceleration methods (surgical, minimally invasive, and noninvasive), target populations, and gender. The most cited works focused on surgical approaches and LLLT. Accelerated orthodontics research from the Middle East has grown substantially, driven predominantly by Syrian institutions, especially Damascus University, and concentrated author networks. Surgical techniques and LLLT dominate high-impact publications, while minimally invasive and noninvasive modalities are increasingly investigated and appear more acceptable to certain patient groups. Broader multicenter and international trials, standardized outcome measures, and patient-centered evaluations are recommended to translate regional advances into generalizable clinical guidelines.