From Volume 14, Issue 2, April 2021 | Pages 90-96
In today's fast-paced world, reducing the duration of orthodontic treatment has become a priority for patients seeking treatment. There are now several approaches and devices available that are reported to accelerate orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) and, fortunately, there has been an increase in the amount of research in this area in recent times.
Orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances can be a lengthy process. Comprehensive treatment takes from 24 to 36 months, on average, and duration of treatment is one of the main concerns for patients.1 Approaches to accelerate orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) are, therefore, welcomed by orthodontists and patients alike. Numerous techniques have evolved over time. Some aim to reduce the treatment duration by accelerating the velocity of OTM, whereas other methods aim to make the mechanical force delivery system more efficient.
Figure 1 illustrates the available surgical and non-surgical methods for accelerating OTM. Surgical techniques on the whole, aim to facilitate tooth movement by inducing a regional acceleratory phenomenon (RAP).2,3 Regional acceleratory phenomenon, as described by Harold Frost (1983), is a tissue reaction to noxious stimuli that increases healing capacity.4 However, the use of surgical approaches is limited given the invasiveness of some techniques and the low quality of evidence to support their use. In light of this, the majority of research has focused on non-surgical approaches, which can be further subdivided into physical, biological and/or mechanical methods.
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