OBJECTIVETo observe the changes of blood flow volume in mental artery of dog before and after osteocompression.

METHODS16 adult dogs were selected and the osteocompressors were fixed on the right buccal side of the mandible. The osteocompressor was used to compress the mandible 1.0 mm per 3 days for totally 15 days. On the 1st, 15th, 45th and 90th day after osteocompression, the 4 MHz prober of color Doppler flow imaging machine was put on the surface of the mucosa below which there was the mental artery. The color Doppler flow imaging was used to measure the blood flow volume in the mental artery of both experimental and control sides.

RESULTS1) The blood flow value in the mental artery was the lowest on the 15th day after osteocompression, however there was not significantly different before and after osteocompression. 2) Compared with the control, the blood flow value of the mental artery on the 1st day after experiment was significantly decreased. 3) Compared with the data before experiment, the deduction of the blood flow values between experimental side and control on the 1st, 15th and 45th day after osteocompression had significant differences. On the 90th day, the deduction of the blood flow value was similar to normal.

CONCLUSIONThe osteocompression influences blood flow volume in mental artery temporarily, however, the influence is reversible and can be recovered by times after osteocompression.