OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) administration on bone formation in response to expansion of the inter-premaxillary suture, in rats, histomorphometrically. METHODS: Thirty 50 - 60 day old Wistar rats were separated into five equal groups (one control and four experimental). All groups were subjected to inter-premaxilla expansion with 50-gram of force. Six control animals received saline solution (Group I) and three experimental groups were treated with a single dose of alpha-tocopherol injected into the inter-premaxillary suture after one day after appliance placement (Group II: 2 mg/kg; Group III: 10 mg/kg; and Group IV: 50 mg/kg). A further group of six animals received three injections of 10 mg/kg alpha-tocopherol, one each on days 3, 6, and 9 (Group V). Bone formation in the suture was evaluated by bone histomorphometry. Kruskal-Wallis rank and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for statistical evaluation at p<0.05 level. RESULTS: New bone area, bone perimeter, feret's diameter and newly formed bone measurements were significantly higher in the experimental groups than the control (p<0.001). Bone architecture in alpha-tocopherol administrated groups was improved, and bone formation during the expansion period was stimulated significantly, in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS: The application of alpha-tocopherol during the early stages to orthopedically expanded inter-premaxillary suture areas may stimulate bone formation and shorten the retention period, in rats.
alpha-Tocopherol ; Animals ; Osteogenesis ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Retention (Psychology) ; Sodium Chloride ; Sutures ; Vitamin E ; Vitamins

OBJECTIVE: This case report describes orthodontic treatment of contracted mandibular arch using a trombone appliance. METHODS: A 14-year-old girl with Class II division 2 malocclusion, retroclined maxillary incisors, and buccally displaced maxillary canines required dental expansion in 3 spatial directions to correct the contracted maxillary and mandibular arches. In the initial phase of treatment, the maxillary arch was expanded and distalized using a quad-helix appliance and cervical headgear. Following the expansion and leveling of the maxillary arch, a trombone appliance was used to expand the mandibular arch. On correction of the mandibular arch and provision of sufficient space to level the mandibular teeth, fixed orthodontic treatment phase was initiated. RESULTS: A trombone appliance proved effective in correcting the contracted mandibular arch. Because of labiolingual and transversal expansion, the mandibular dental arch perimeter was increased by 7.4 mm; the misalignment of the mandibular teeth was corrected successfully. CONCLUSIONS: A trombone appliance may serve as an appropriate clinical alternative for treating moderate mandibular arch crowding caused by the contraction of the dental arch.
Adolescent ; Contracts ; Crowding ; Dental Arch ; Humans ; Incisor ; Malocclusion ; Tooth

OBJECTIVE: The displacement of the hyoid bone (HB) is a critical biomechanical component of the swallowing function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the swallowing-induced vertical and horizontal displacements of the HB in subjects with 2 different magnitudes of skeletal Class III malocclusion, by means of real-time, balanced turbo-field-echo (B-TFE) cine-magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: The study population comprised 19 patients with mild skeletal Class III malocclusion, 16 with severe skeletal Class III malocclusion, and 20 with a skeletal Class I relationship. Before the commencement of the study, all subjects underwent cephalometric analysis to identify the nature of skeletal malformations. B-TFE images were obtained for the 4 consecutive stages of deglutition as each patient swallowed 10 mL of water, and the vertical and horizontal displacements of the HB were measured at each stage. RESULTS: At all stages of swallowing, the vertical position of the HB in the severe Class III malocclusion group was significantly lower than those in the mild Class III and Class I malocclusion groups. Similarly, the horizontal displacement of the HB was found to be significantly associated with the severity of malocclusion, i.e., the degree of Class III malocclusion, while the amount of anterior displacement of the HB decreased with an increase in the severity of the Class III deformity. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate the existence of a relationship between the magnitude of Class III malocclusion and HB displacement during swallowing.
Deglutition ; Displacement (Psychology) ; Humans ; Hyoid Bone ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Malocclusion ; Water

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this experimental study was to evaluate the effects of direct electrical current stimulation (DECS) on bone regeneration in response to an expansion of the inter-premaxillary suture in the rat. METHODS: Sixteen 50 - 60 days old Wistar male rats were separated into two equal groups (control and experimental). Both groups were subjected to expansion, and 30-gram of force was applied to the maxillary incisors with helical-spring. In the experimental group, two metallic-screws were placed at lateral parts of the maxillary segments. Electrodes were connected to the screws. The device was activated with current adjustment to measure 10 microA continuously and the current was monitored daily during the expansion and early-retention phase. Bone regeneration in the sutural area was histomorphometrically evaluated including new-bone area (micrometer2), bone perimeter (micrometer), feret's diameter (micrometer) and newly formed bone (%) parameters. Kruskal-Wallis rank and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for statistical evaluation at p < 0.05 level. RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed significant differences between groups for all investigated histomorphometric parameters. New bone area (p = 0.002), bone perimeter (p = 0.004), feret's diameter (p = 0.002) and newly formed bone percentage (p = 0.002) measurements were significantly higher in the experimental group than the control group. Bone histomorphometric measurements revealed that bone architecture in the DECS group was improved. CONCLUSIONS: The application of DECS to an orthopedically expanded inter-premaxillary suture area during the early retention phase stimulated the formation of new bone.
Animals ; Bone Regeneration ; Electric Stimulation ; Electrodes ; Humans ; Incisor ; Male ; Osteogenesis ; Palatal Expansion Technique ; Rats ; Retention (Psychology) ; Sutures