Effect of piezopuncture on tooth movement and bone remodeling in dogs

Introduction The aim of the study was to elucidate whether a newly developed, minimally invasive procedure, piezopuncture, would be a logical modification for accelerating tooth movement in the maxilla and the mandible. Methods Ten beagle dogs were divided into 2 groups. Traditional orthodontic tooth movement was performed in the control group. In the experimental group, a piezotome was used to make cortical punctures penetrating the gingiva around the moving tooth. Measurements were made in weeks 1 through 6. Tooth movement and bone apposition rates from the histomorphometric analyses were evaluated by independent t tests. Results The cumulative tooth movement distance was greater in the piezopuncture group than in the control group: 3.26-fold in the maxilla and 2.45-fold in the mandible. Piezopuncture significantly accelerated the tooth movements at all observation times, and the acceleration was greatest during the first 2 weeks for the maxilla and the second week for the mandible. Anabolic activity was also increased by piezopuncture: 2.55-fold in the maxilla and 2.35-fold in the mandible. Conclusions Based on the different effects of piezopuncture on the maxilla and the mandible, the results of a clinical trial of piezopuncture with optimized protocols might give orthodontists a therapeutic benefit for reducing treatment duration.