Efficiency of piezocision technique in miniscrew supported en-masse retraction

The aim of this prospective randomized controlled clinical trial is to evaluate the efficiency of piezocision technique in miniscrew supported en-masse retraction cases. Thirty subjects requiring maxillary first premolar extractions and eligible for en-masse retraction of the anterior teeth were included in the study and randomly divided into two groups. 0.018x0.025-inch incisor and canine brackets and 0.022x0.028-inch premolar brackets and molar tubes were bonded in all patients. When the maxillary dental arches were fully leveled and aligned, piezocisions were performed only in subjects in Group I. NiTi closed coil springs were attached from 1.5-1.4 mm diameter and 7 mm long miniscrews to the power hooks placed between the lateral and canine brackets. Anterior teeth were retracted on 0.016x0.022-inch stainless steel archwire. Lateral cephalometric radiographs, computerized tomography (CT) scans of maxillary anterior region, intraoral and extraoral photographs, study models and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples were collected from each subject. Piezocisions could not provide a statistically significant acceleration in the en-masse retraction of anterior teeth. Average concentration and amount of the receptor activator of nuclear factor κβ ligand (RANKL) and GCF volume were similar between the groups. Similar amounts of incisor and molar movements were observed. Alveolar changes were similar for both groups. Changes in percentages of dehiscence and fenestration prevelances were not significant between groups. Intercanine, interpremolar and intermolar distances did not differ between groups, as well as canine and molar axes. The overall success rate for miniscrews, loaded 250 gr per side, was 88.3% for this study.