Orthodontic movement may not affect prognosis of RCT teeth regardless of presence of apical periodontitis: Study

Often there is the need to move endodontically treated teeth. Orthodontic movement may not affect the prognosis of teeth with root canal treatment (RCT). To verify this subject, we evaluated the effect of orthodontic movement on the prognosis of RCT teeth using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Further, we explored the influence of orthodontic movement on the prognosis of RCT teeth with and without apical periodontitis (AP). This retrospective study evaluated 169 RCT teeth of 100 patients who had undergone fixed orthodontic treatment. AP was assessed and classified using the CBCT periapical index. Univariate analysis of RCT outcome was performed for the total RCT group, RCT without AP group and RCT with AP group. Multivariate logistic regression was performed for the total RCT group and RCT without AP group, respectively, but not for the RCT with AP group. Variables related to the prognosis of RCT were included, such as age, gender, tooth position, RCT quality, coronal restoration quality, periodontal condition, orthodontic traction distance, and orthodontic rotation angle.

Results: The orthodontic traction distance and rotation angle were not significantly correlated to the RCT outcomes, regardless of the presence of AP. Among the total RCT group, teeth with unqualified RCT (odds ratio = 3.42, P = .004) and inadequate coronal restoration (odds ratio = 4.40, P = .031) had a lower success rate. Of the 97 RCT teeth without AP, unqualified RCT was a risk factor for treatment failure (odds ratio = 3.55, P = .041). Of the 72 RCT teeth with AP, the univariate analysis showed that RCT quality were significantly related to the outcome (P = .042). Orthodontic movement had no effect on the prognosis of RCT teeth regardless of the presence of AP.

Reference:

Chen X, Liu SQ, Wang XX, Liu W, Zhou X, Wang X. Effect of Orthodontic Treatment on the Outcomes of Endodontically Treated Teeth: A Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Analysis. J Endod. 2024 May 18:S0099-2399(24)00282-6. doi: 10.1016/j.joen.2024.05.002. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38763483.