Periodontal Response After Tooth Movement Into Intrabony Defects

T he present study was undertaken since conflicting evidence exists regarding the effect of such tooth movement on levels of connective tissue attachment. Localized intrabony pockets were produced around isolated incisors in four rhesus monkeys. The root surfaces were planed to the level of the bone at the base of the angular bony defects. An oral hygiene regime was begun and continued for the remainder of the study. The experimental teeth were moved orthodontically into, and through, the original area of the intrabony defect. Two months after cessation of active tooth movement, block specimens were removed for histologic analysis. Control specimens comprised those teeth with induced periodontal defects, but without tooth movement. In specimens not subjected to tooth movement, angular bony defects were present and epithelium lined the root surface to the apical extent of instrumentation. The alveolar bone adjacent to the orthodontically moved teeth no longer had angular defect morphology. On the pressure side, epithelium lined the root surface, was interposed between root surface and bone and terminated at the apical limit of root instrumentation. On the tension side, the crest of the bone was located apical to the level of root planing, and epithelium lined the instrumented portion of the root surface. It was concluded that orthodontic tooth movement into intrabony periodontal defects was without effect upon the levels of connective tissue attachment.