Lower incisor intrusion with intraoral transosseous stainless steel wire anchorage in rabbits

The purpose of this research was to investigate the potential use of intraoral transosseous stainless steel wires as anchorage for intrusion of the lower incisors using a rabbit model. Placement of intraoral transosseous stainless steel wires around incisors is similar to that of intraoral transosseous wiring of edentulous mandibular fractures. Ten male New Zealand rabbits, 9 +/- 1.5 months of age, average weight 1.8 +/- 0.3 kg, were used in this study. One lower incisor was intruded with a 50 g bilateral force using a coil spring for 10 weeks, while the other incisor served as the control. Clinical measurements of the distances between the occlusal edges of the incisors (EE) were performed weekly with a calliper. In addition to standard descriptive statistical calculations, a paired Student's t-test was used for comparison of the two groups. All surgical sites healed uneventfully after insertion of the wires. Significant differences were found in the change of EE between the experimental and control sides from 4 weeks onwards. Intrusion of the incisor, 4 +/- 0.58 mm, was seen on the test side, while EE on the control side remained unchanged. Within the limits of this animal study, it is concluded that the intraoral transosseous stainless steel wire anchorage system is a cost-effective method for intrusion of lower incisors when the use of other anchorage system is not possible.