Title of study: Effect of Shockwave Therapy on Orthodontic Tooth Movement

Authors: Ganjawalla K,  Oubaidin M, Chen Y, Kelling AL, Evans CA, Atsawasuwan P

Orthodontic treatment can be complicated by prolonged treatment time and various complications, such as root resorption, periodontal problems, enamel decalcification, and compromised compliance. Shockwave therapy is an approach that can modify orthodontic treatment time by using local physical treatment of alveolar bone and periodontal ligament. Shockwave therapy is FDA-approved for musculoskeletal disorders and has been shown to up-regulate neovascularization and osteogenic growth factor expression, promote osteoblasts and fibroblasts proliferation, and induce alveolar bone regeneration and accelerate consolidation in distraction osteogenesis.

In this study, male adult Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to 10cN mesial tooth movement for 28 days with or without shockwave therapy application. The results showed that shockwave therapy delayed tooth movement and promoted osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation. Faxitron and microCT radiographs demonstrated delayed tooth movement in the shockwave-treated group compared to the control group. H&E staining sections showed increased osteoclasts and bone resorption in tooth movement only and tooth movement with shockwave compared to no loading and no loading with shockwave. Fluorescence double staining demonstrated increased bone forming in tooth movement and tooth movement with shockwave compared to no loading and shockwave only.

The study concluded that shockwave therapy can delay orthodontic tooth movement and promote bone growth in rats without any systemic effect on the rats’ osteoclasts after a single application. These findings suggest that shockwave therapy may be a promising approach for modifying orthodontic treatment time and reducing complications.