The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a fiberotomy-like procedure using Er:YAG laser irradiation on the velocity of orthodontic tooth movement. To produce experimental tooth movement in rats, orthodontic force was applied to the upper first molars with a nickel-titanium closed coil. The right molars were irradiated with an Er:YAG laser while the non-irradiated left molars were used as controls. The rats were sacrificed at 4 weeks after the start of tooth movement and the distance between the mesial side of the second molar and the distal side of the upper first molar was measured on CT images. The amount of tooth movement was significantly greater in the irradiation group than in the control group. The TRAP-positive nuclei count at the pressure site was higher in the laser-irradiation group than in the control group. Expression of RANKL and ALP was higher at the mesial-coronal pressure site in the laser-irradiation group than in the control group. In addition, expression of OPG was higher at the pressure site in the control group than in the laser-irradiation group. These results suggest that a fiberotomy-like procedure using an Er:YAG laser stimulates osteoclasts and osteoblasts and may promote bone metabolism in the context of experimental tooth movement.
Keywords: Er:YAG laser; HLLT; bone metabolism; fiberotomy; tooth movement.