The Effects of Local Injection of Simvastatin on Tooth Movement and Root Resorption Rates Under Orthodontic Forces in Dogs

Masoud Feizbakhsh¹, Mahsa Sadat Mortazavi¹*, Seyyed Mohammad Razavi¹ and Valiollah Hajhashemi²

¹Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Isfahan Azad University, Isfahan, Iran. ²Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

ABSTRACT: Simvastatin is a medication usually used that can be used to decrease serum cholesterol with a possible effect on bone. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of local injection of simvastatin on the rate of tooth movement and root resorption during orthodontic force application in dog. This was an experimental study conducted on 4 male dogs undergoing orthodontic appliances. One week later, the animals received 1 mL solution of simvastatin (0.5 mg), or phosphate buffered saline (as control group) monthly. At the end of the second month, the dogs were sacrificed and the distance between the canines and the second premolars were measured with a digital caliper while the root resorption percent were obtained by the histopathological methods. The data were subjected to independent T-test.In the maxilla, the rate of tooth movement was 1.35 ± 0.07 and 1.21 ± 0.2 mm per month in the control and treatment groups, while these values were 1.15 ± 0.04and 1.03 ± 0.15 mm per month respectively for the mandibular teeth. These differences were not significant (p>0.05). Furthermore, there were no significant differences between the control and treatment groups in the maxillary and mandibular apical, middle and coronal regions regarding the obtained percentage of root resorption. Under the study limitations; the local injection of simvastatin can decrease the rate of tooth movement and root resorption in dogs, however the changes were not significant.

KEYWORDS: Tooth Movement;11 Root Resorption; Simvastatin

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