For orthodontic tooth movement, remodeling of the alveolar bone is maintained by a repeated process of bone resorption and new bone formation, controlled, respectively, by osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Recently, we have found that recombinant human vascular endothelial growth factor (rhVEGF) acts as a macrophage colony-stimulating factor in osteoclast induction in osteopetrotic (op/op) mice. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether rhVEGF stimulates osteoclast differentiation during experimental tooth movement. Purified rhVEGF was injected once into the buccal gingival groove around the incisors. An experimental appliance with a helical loop was bonded onto the upper incisors, and an initial force of 1.0 g was applied for three days. The number of osteoclasts appearing in the periodontal ligament space on the pressure side of the alveolar bone was increased markedly. These results suggest that local administration of rhVEGF enhances the number of osteoclasts, and may increase the rate of orthodontic tooth movement. Abbreviations: recombinant human vascular endothelial growth factor (rhVEGF), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), osteopetrotic mice (op/op mice),fms-like tyrosine kinase (Flt-1), periodontal ligament (PDL), phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), and analysis of variance (ANOVA).

This case report describes the treatment of a case involving a skeletal Class II facial profile with a gummy smile. While treating a facial profile and a gummy smile, the outcome may not always be successful with orthodontic therapy alone. For this reason, surgical therapy is often chosen to gain an esthetic facial profile and a good smile. However, sometimes the patients reject surgical treatment and an alternative method must be considered. Skeletal anchorage systems such as miniscrews are now frequently used for correcting severe malocclusion that should be treated by surgical therapy. In this case report, we treated a skeletal Class II malocclusion with a convex profile and a gummy smile using miniscrews, which were placed in the upper posterior and anterior areas. The active treatment period was 3.5 years, and the patient's teeth continued to be stable after a retention period of 36 months.

It has been reported that both vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and macrophage colonystimulating factor (M-CSF) can induce osteoclast recruitment. Thus, VEGF and M-CSF are considered to be closely involved in the bone remodeling process. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in VEGF and M-CSF expression during orthodontic treatment. The expression of VEGF and M-CSF mRNA in osteoblasts and fibroblasts was detected by in situ hybridization during experimental tooth movement in mice. Furthermore, the canine retraction side and the control side of orthodontic patients were compared, revealing a statistically significant increase in both VEGF and M-CSF concentrations in gingival crevicular fluid. These results suggest that orthodontic tooth movement causes an increase in VEGF and M-CSF levels. These factors may induce bone remodeling via osteoclastic bone resorption.

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It has not yet been clarified how sex hormones affect craniofacial bone development immediately after birth. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of sex hormone deficiency on craniofacial bone development immediately after birth, in terms of the internal structure of the mandible in newborn mice with orchiectomy (ORX) and ovariectomy (OVX). ORX, OVX and a sham-operation were performed on 40 five-day-old C57BL/6J mice. Eight weeks after surgery, each mandible was subjected to histomorphometric analysis of trabecular (Tr) and cortical (Ct) bone mineral density (BMD) by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). In the experimental groups, a significant reduction in BMD was found in comparison with the control groups. In histomorphometric analysis, the number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive cells in the condyle and the thickness of the condylar cartilage layer was significantly greater in the experimental mice than in the controls. Trabecular bone volume of the condyle measured on azocarmine-aniline blue (AZAN) sections was significantly less in the experimental mice than in the controls. These results indicate that mandibular growth is inhibited by sex hormone disturbances and the relevant internal structures changed. The findings show that sex hormones are one of the key determinants of mandibular growth and development immediately after birth.