Initial tooth displacement in vivo as a predictor of long-term displacement.

In the past, the dry skull has been used as a hypothetical model to test initial orthodontic and orthopaedic force systems. However, the question as to whether this hypothetical model can be used as a predictor of long-term displacements in vivo remains unanswered. In this study, an attempt was made to compare initial tooth displacement with the long-term effect after application of the force system for a longer period of time, in six adult dogs. Tooth displacement was obtained by applying a force by means of a coil spring (push) system. Following application of a force of 50 g in the first series (n = 3) and 80 g in the second series (n = 3), initial displacements were registered by means of speckle interferometry. The long-term displacement was registered by means of standardized cephalometry in the same dog by leaving the force system in place for 5 weeks. The mean values of the displacement vectors of the second premolars in the six dogs were compared. A paired t-test revealed no significant differences between the initial and long-term displacements in any of the dogs. The results show that both groups of measurements belong statistically to the same sample and that initial tooth displacement measured by means of speckle interferometry is a valuable predictor for forecasting long-term displacement in vivo after 5 weeks.