| Orthodontists frequently reposition maxillary and mandibular incisors to achieve good facial esthetics and an ideal occlusion. However, there are limitations to the amount of incisor movement possible, due primarily to the remodeling capacity of the alveolus or bony socket which houses the teeth. Currently, the extent to which these limitations exist is not fully known because certain aspects of alveolar bone remodeling behavior remain unclear. Furthermore, as conventional orthodontic mechanics are prone to anchorage loss, the rise of skeletal anchorage now provides opportunities to examine alveolar remodeling during incisor retraction under more controlled conditions.;This study is the first to observe the remodeling behavior of the alveolus under skeletal anchorage. The findings confirmed the conclusions of many of the previous studies of alveolar behavior, suggesting that anatomic boundaries exist to tooth movement and as such represent limitations to orthodontic treatment. The findings also provided guidelines that may help clinicians to avoid iatrogenic side effects.;The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyze the remodeling changes of the alveolus when anterior teeth were retracted using skeletal anchorage. The sample group consisted of sixteen patients who received orthodontic treatment in two South Korean private orthodontic practices. Each patient received orthodontic treatment consisting of at least two premolar extractions with subsequent retraction of the incisors using skeletal anchorage. Pre and post-treatment lateral cephalometric radiographs for each patient were then collected and traced using the Dolphin Imaging Software Program, and a customized cephalometric analysis was done to measure alveolar width, the amount of cortical plate retraction achieved, and the amount of tooth retraction achieved. |
