A COMARATIVE STUDY OF DENTAL DISTRACTION INDUCED BY TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF FORCES

Abstract

"Dental distraction" using interrupted force has been introduced in the literature as a new method of canine retraction and it proved to accelerate tooth movement considerably with minimum side effects. This study was designed to study the effect of the application of continuous versus intermittent force on canine retraction through dental distraction in regards to; rate of tooth movement, amount of apical root resorption, probing pocket depth, pulp vitality, long axis changes ofthe canine as well as bone density changes. Fifteen adolescent patients requiring upper first premolar extraction and canine retraction, with an age range of (13-18) were enrolled in the study. A custom made distractor utilizing a screw was inserted in one side of the upper arch of each patient and another utilizing a nickel titanium coil spring was inserted in the contra lateral side. Immediately after extraction of the upper first premolar, a fissure bur was used to undermine the bone distal to the canine, and both distractors were activated until complete canine retraction. Impressions were taken every week to evaluate the rate of tooth movement. Electric pulp vitality testing, probing pocket depth, bone density measuring and standardized periapical x-rays were performed before distraction, after distraction and after a 3 months retention