The limitation of alveolar bone remodeling during retraction of the upper anterior teeth

Hwang, Chung Ju; Moon, Jeong Lyon

Abstract

In many cases of orthodontic treatment the upper anterior teeth are retracted. Periodontal problems may arise during incisor retraction, if the amount of tooth movement and the amount of remodeling in the anterior cortical bone are not the same. Therefore in this study, to find out the relationship between the amount of tooth movement and the amount of bone remodeling during retraction of the upper anterior teeth, lateral cephalograms of 56 female patients over 18-year-old were taken before and after treatment. Among the 56 patients, two groups were divided according to the type of root movement during retraction. 26 patients mainly moved by tipping and 30 by bodily movement. The cephalograms taken before and after treatment were superimposed upon the true horizontal plane. In the Tip-Group, the horizontal bone remodeling/tooth movement ratio was 1 : 1.63, and in the Torque-Group it was 1 : 1.66. Because the amount of tooth movement and the amount of bone remodeling were not the same in both groups, in the Tip-Group the root apex moved away from the palatal cortical plate and closer to the labial cortical plate, whereas in the Torque-Group the root moved away from the labial cortical plate and closer to the palatal cortical plate. Therefore, there are limitations in the amount of incisor retraction in patients with a very thin anterior cortical plate in the maxilla, and in patients with severe skeletal discrepancies orthognathic surgery should be considered and when orthodontic camouflage treatment is the only possible method, the orthodontist must be aware of the limitations of treatment.