Changes in maxillary incisor dental pulp blood flow during intrusion by mini-implants.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this clinical study was to identify changes in pulpal blood flow (PBF) in human central incisors resulting from short- and long-term intrusive orthodontic forces from mini-implants.


METHODS
A total of 40 sound upper central and lateral incisors in 20 patients scheduled for intrusion for orthodontic reasons were divided into two groups. From each group, 20 teeth were subjected to intrusive force from mini-implants (Group 1 = Light Force: 40 g; Group 2 = Heavy Force: 120 g), whereas the remaining 20 contralateral teeth were not subjected to forces from mini-implants and served as controls. Laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF) measurements were recorded at baseline and at 3 days and 3 weeks following intrusion.


RESULTS
PBF decreased significantly at 3 days (Light Force Group: 7.72 ± 0.50; Heavy Force Group: 7.72 ± 0.52) and then increased towards baseline at 3 weeks (Light Force Group: 10.37 ± 0.58; Heavy Force Group: 10.31 ± 0.45) following intrusion.


CONCLUSIONS
In other words, despite slight regressive changes in pulpal tissue in the short-term, PBF improved after 3 weeks following intrusion by mini-implants, indicating that the changes observed in PBF is reversible, even following radical incisor intrusion.
Department of Orthodontics, Center for Dental Sciences, Maresal Cakmak Hospital , Erzurum , Turkey.
Fidan Alakus
FA
Sabuncuoglu
Seyda
S
Ersahan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015921:Dental Implants; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000098:blood supply*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000098:blood supply*; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry / Q000295:instrumentation; D008437:Maxilla; D008904:Miniaturization; D052280:Orthodontic Anchorage Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016382:Orthodontic Appliance Design; D057887:Overbite / Q000628:therapy; D014087:Tooth Movement Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D055815:Young Adult
D015921:Dental Implants
LDF; PBF; intrusion; mini-implant.; pulp tissue