IADR Abstract Archives
Effect of Arch Expansion Using Clear Aligners on Alveolar Bone
Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of slow dental arch expansion using clear aligners on alveolar bone height and thickness.
Methods: Cone-beam computed tomographic scans (CBCT) before and after treatment scans of 10 adult patients (average range 36.2+/-13.2 years old) who had clear aligners treatment and utilized dental arch expansion (2+ 1 mm per side) to resolve their teeth crowding and had were analyzed. CBCT scans were taken using iCAT (Tube voltage: 120 kVp; Milliampere: 10 mA; Voxel size:0.3 mm; Scanning time: 8.9 seconds and field of view: 13 cm Height * 16 cm Diameter). DICOM data were exported into Ondemand 3D App software. Alveolar bone crest height from the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) and buccal alveolar bone thicknesses were evaluated at two different levels (3 mm and 6 mm) of root length from the CEJ and apex of the teeth were measured and compared of the same slices of before and after orthodontic treatment. Data of before and after treatment was compared using SPSS statistical package using pared t-test.
Results: There was no statistical significant difference between before and after treatment in most of the measurements except alveolar bone height and width at 3 mm apical from the CEJ of the upper right second molars (P<0.05) and upper right second bicuspid bone height. Although there was significant difference in those measurements, the change was not clinically relevant (-0.3+/-0.3 mm change in height and 0.3+/-0.4 mm in width at 3 mm apical to CEJ).
Conclusions: Dental arch expansion using clear aligners did not cause any significant changes of the alveolar bone height or width. This data should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size.
Methods: Cone-beam computed tomographic scans (CBCT) before and after treatment scans of 10 adult patients (average range 36.2+/-13.2 years old) who had clear aligners treatment and utilized dental arch expansion (2+ 1 mm per side) to resolve their teeth crowding and had were analyzed. CBCT scans were taken using iCAT (Tube voltage: 120 kVp; Milliampere: 10 mA; Voxel size:0.3 mm; Scanning time: 8.9 seconds and field of view: 13 cm Height * 16 cm Diameter). DICOM data were exported into Ondemand 3D App software. Alveolar bone crest height from the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) and buccal alveolar bone thicknesses were evaluated at two different levels (3 mm and 6 mm) of root length from the CEJ and apex of the teeth were measured and compared of the same slices of before and after orthodontic treatment. Data of before and after treatment was compared using SPSS statistical package using pared t-test.
Results: There was no statistical significant difference between before and after treatment in most of the measurements except alveolar bone height and width at 3 mm apical from the CEJ of the upper right second molars (P<0.05) and upper right second bicuspid bone height. Although there was significant difference in those measurements, the change was not clinically relevant (-0.3+/-0.3 mm change in height and 0.3+/-0.4 mm in width at 3 mm apical to CEJ).
Conclusions: Dental arch expansion using clear aligners did not cause any significant changes of the alveolar bone height or width. This data should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size.
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