Orthodontic tooth movement occurs through bone remodeling caused by prolonged force application. Physiologic tooth movement includes eruption, migration, and changes during chewing. When mild forces are applied, pressure sides experience bone resorption while tension sides experience bone deposition through cellular changes and vascularity increases in the periodontal ligament. Extreme forces risk hyalinization from blood vessel occlusion on the pressure side and periodontal ligament tearing on the tension side. Optimal orthodontic forces are below the root apex to move the tooth through the periodontal ligament network.
2. Introduction Orthodontic tooth movement is a unique process where a solid object (tooth) is made to move through a solid medium (bone). Orthodontic treatment is possible due to the fact that whenever a prolonged force is applied on a tooth, bone remodeling occurs around the tooth resulting in its movement .
