COMPARATIVE STUDY ON PULPAL BLOOD FLOW CHANGES IN VITAL TEETH AND ENDODONTICALLY TREATED TEETH DURING ORTHODONTIC INTRUSION

Background: Orthodontic intrusion is a common technique for repositioning teeth, but it can affect pulpal blood
flow (PBF). This study compares the changes in PBF during orthodontic intrusion in vital and endodontically treated
teeth.
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate and compare changes in PBF in vital and endodontically treated teeth
over 6 weeks of orthodontic intrusion.
Materials and Methods: A total of 120 participants were included in this prospective, observational study.
Participants were divided into two groups: 60 with vital teeth and 60 with endodontically treated teeth. PBF was
measured at baseline and at weekly intervals during the 6 weeks of orthodontic intrusion using Laser Doppler
Flowmetry (LDF). Statistical analysis was conducted using paired t-tests and independent t-tests to assess intra- and
inter-group differences in PBF.
Results: Significant reductions in PBF were observed in both groups over the 6 weeks. However, endodontically
treated teeth showed a more pronounced decrease in PBF compared to vital teeth. At the end of the study, the PBF of
vital teeth remained higher than that of endodontically treated teeth, with a statistically significant difference (p <
0.05).
Conclusion: Orthodontic intrusion reduces PBF in both vital and endodontically treated teeth, with the latter being
more susceptible to compromised blood flow. These findings suggest that orthodontists should assess tooth vitality.
before applying orthodontic forces, particularly in patients with endodontically treated teeth, to prevent potential
complications.