Development of orthodontic treatment using a combination of growth hormone replacement therapy and functional appliances

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K19297
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 57070:Developmental dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: AWADA TETSUYA 広島大学, 医系科学研究科(歯), 助教 (90758179)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: ホルモン補充療法 / 下顎頭軟骨成長 / 機能的矯正装置

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we conducted to establish an efficient and reliable comprehensive orthodontic treatment, clarifying the effect of estrogen replacement therapy on mandibular growth and combined effect of these hormone replacement therapies and orthodontic functional appliance. We performed ovariectomy (OVX) in 4-week-old Wistar female rats, administered estrogen subcutaneously, and investigated the effect of estrogen on cartilage growth in the mandibular condyle. The result showed that OVX caused reduction of the thickness of the cartilage layer of the mandibular condyle, and the mandibular condyle showed a near-normal cartilage growth aspect with estrogen replacement. It was also revealed that the use of orthodontic functional appliance affects the cartilage growth of the mandibular condyle.

Free Research Field

矯正歯科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、下顎劣成長を示す成長期のターナー症候群などの患者に対して行われる、ホルモン補充療法と機能的矯正装置の影響を明らかにすることによって、適切な治療時期にこれらを併用した効率的で確実性の高い包括的な矯正歯科治療法を確立することを目的とする。本研究の成果によって得られる知見は、女性ホルモン分泌不全などの内分泌異常や骨代謝機能異常を有する不正咬合患者における矯正歯科治療法の解明に繋がり、学術的、臨床的に大きな貢献を果たすことが期待される。