[Craniofacial morphogenesis after unilateral extraction experiments on rabbits].
BACKGROUND
Many authors have observed that reduction of the posterior vertical dimension after the loss of teeth during cranio-facial growth can lead to alterations not only of occlusion but also of cranio-facial skull structure. The alteration differs according to whether the absence of teeth is mono- or bilateral. In this paper, the authors present the skeletal alterations after monolateral tooth loss.


METHODS
An experiment was performed on 25 rabbits, all having undergone monolateral tooth extraction. The experiment followed two rules of procedure: in a group of rabbits we extrasted the upper teeth only (experiment A), in another group of rabbits the extractions were performed both in the upper and in the lower jaw (experiment B), the third group of rabbits was used as a control group. At regular intervals, the authors examined skeletal alterations by means of Engstrom's cephalometric analysis (the asymmetries, the vertical posterior dimension).


RESULTS
It was thus possible to observe some alterations of the cranio-facial bones and to compare the data with those of the control group.
Deli
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Corso di Laurea in Odontoiatria e Protesi Dentaria, Cattedra di Ortognatodonzia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma.
Grippaudo
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Tedeschi
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D000818:Animals; D002508:Cephalometry; D017271:Craniomandibular Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008437:Maxilla / Q000254:growth & development; D009024:Morphogenesis; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011817:Rabbits; D014081:Tooth Extraction; D014716:Vertical Dimension