Root resorption in patients undergoing dentoalveolar expansion with orthodontic aligners: CBCT study

• Grant number: 25/04340-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Orthodontics
• Principal Investigator: Mírian Aiko Nakane Matsumoto
• Grantee: Giovanna Augusta de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirão Preto (FORP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: The increasing popularity of orthodontic aligners has increased the use of dentoalveolar expansion to correct dental crowding by increasing the perimeter of the arch. Because it generates tensions at the dental apex, this procedure may predispose to external apical root resorption with consequent loss of root volume. The literature does not have conclusive information regarding the incidence of root resorption resulting from dentoalveolar expansions treated with orthodontic aligners, when compared to fixed appliances.Objective: To evaluate the root volume of upper premolars in patients undergoing dentoalveolar expansion with orthodontic aligners, using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).Material and Method: The sample will consist of tomographic records of 31 patients (mean age 36 years and 3 months). CBCT will be used to assess the root volume of maxillary premolars before and after an average period of 19 months, between the initial phase (T0) and post-expansion (T1). The data resulting from the comparison between the two times, before and after expansion, will be subjected to the normality test and parametric or nonparametric tests will be used with a 5% significance level to identify differences between the means. The relationship between root volume loss will be assessed through multiple linear regression.Keywords: cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), orthodontic aligners, dentoalveolar expansion, orthodontics.