Background

Orthodontic treatment is well known to be a prolonged one, that is why a considerable number of patients, particularly adults, avoid orthodontic treatments and would rather accept less superior esthetics offered by aligners or fixed prosthodontics. The average orthodontic treatment duration is 2 years [1]. Not only longer treatment duration poses greater risks of gingival inflammation, root resorption [2], and enamel decalcification [3], but most importantly, it can burnout patients’ cooperation [1], which is another factor that detains orthodontic treatment.

Consequently, accelerated orthodontics has gained much popularity in the recent research work. Many modalities have been proposed to accelerate orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) such as low-level laser therapy, corticotomy, interseptal bone reduction, photobiomodulation, or pulsed electromagnetic fields [28]. Yet, this pattern of canine retraction seemed to be less noticeable in the MOP side. By analyzing the canine root movement as measured from the CBCT images in both sides, it has been shown that the total distance moved by the center and apex of the canine was significantly greater in the MOP than the control side. Very much earlier, Reitan [29] emphasized that during canine retraction, the tooth acted as a two-armed lever, with the applied force concentrated at the alveolar crest, where the areas of hyalinization are concentrated. MOPs performed distal to the cervical two thirds of the canine root have probably decreased the resistance offered by the alveolar crest allowing greater root movement. However, the canine cusp tips moved a greater distance than the apices in both sides, indicating that canine retraction was mostly due to controlled tip** movement.

Very mild anchorage loss (< 1 mm) occurred in both the control and MOP sides, with no statistically significant difference. Minor anchorage loss, even with the utilization of absolute anchorage means, was documented formerly by El-Beialy et al. [30]

Results of the current study demonstrated that MOP neither increased nor decreased root resorption, in contrast to a recent systematic review which accused corticotomy of increasing the orthodontically induced root resorption [31].

The fundamental aim of all minimally invasive surgical procedures was to achieve accelerated OTM utilizing patient-friendly approaches; consequently, patients’ feedback was of utmost importance. The pain severity experienced by the patients ranged from mild to moderate pain that rapidly faded away after 1 week. Yet, the mean pain scores obtained in the current study were higher than those reported by Alikhani et al. [11].

Limitations

The current study did not evaluate the effect of different numbers, sites, and repetition of MOP on the rate and type of tooth movement. The current study did not evaluate the effect of MOP on the overall treatment duration.

Conclusions

Within the limitations of this study, the following conclusions could be withdrawn:

  • Micro-osteoperforations (MOP) were not able to accelerate the rate of canine retraction; however, it seemed to facilitate root movement.

  • MOP did not augment posterior anchorage.

  • MOP did not increase nor decrease orthodontically induced root resorption. No long-term adverse effects on the alveolar mucosa were detected following the MOP procedure.

  • Mild to moderate transient pain was experienced following the MOP procedures that almost disappeared 1 week later.