The Bio-mechanics of

Orthodontic Tooth
Movement
D 657
Dr. Shiva Shanker
Dr. Allen Firestone
LECTURE READING
Contemporary Orthodontics,
Chapter 10,
3rd Edition: pp. 337-360
2nd Edition: pp. 302-315

Recommended:
Smith and Burstone, Mechanics of
tooth movement. American Journal of
Orthodontics, 1984; 85:294-307
LECTURE OBJECTIVES
1. Definition of terms

2. Mechanics of tooth movement

3. Anchorage in orthodontic appliances

LECTURE OBJECTIVES
1. Review Laboratory Procedures:
Arch Length Analysis
Molar Uprighting: Preparing
typodont
Definitions
Force
Center of Resistance (C
res
)
Types of Tooth Movement

Force
Physical property e.g. distance,
weight, temperature, force.
Physical properties are,
mathematically, scalars or vectors
Scalars have a magnitude and no
direction e.g. weight, temperature
Vectors have a magnitude and a
direction e.g. force
Vectors
Line of Action
Point of Application
Sense
Magnitude
Resultant of Forces
Common point of application
Resolving force into components
Different points of application
Common point of application
Resultant of Forces
Different points of application
Resultant of Forces
Resolving Force Into Components
Resultant of Forces
Force
A load applied to an object that will
tend to move it in the direction of the
applied force
Defined in units of Newtons
Orthodontic purposes measured as
grams or ounces
Definitions
Force
Center of Resistance (C
res
)
Types of Tooth Movement

Center of Resistance
Free body: center of mass/gravity =
point of balance
Restrained body (tooth): center of
resistance (C
res
)
By definition, a force acting through
C
res
moves tooth with no change in
orientation = translation
Center of Resistance
A point at which resistance to
movement can be concentrated for
mathematical analysis (= C
res
)
The center of resistance for a tooth is
1/2 - 1/3 (40%) root length apical to
alveolar crest
C
res
varies with root length and
alveolar crest height

Center of Resistance
C
res
varies with root length and
alveolar crest height

Definitions
Force
Center of Resistance (C
res
)
Types of Tooth Movement

Types of Tooth Movement
Translation
Rotation
Combination/Tipping
Moment
Couple
Center of Rotation (C
rot
)
Translation =
Bodily Tooth Movement
A force applied in line with the center
of resistance;
the tooth is translated with no
rotation relative to the force
Orthodontically, the point of
attachment is irrelevant;
the line of action of force
determines the effect on the tooth
Translation or
Bodily Tooth Movement
Tipping Tooth Movement
A force that doesnt pass through
C
res
causes translation +
rotation = tipping
i.e., tends to tip the tooth, movement
with a rotational component.
Definitions
Force
Center of Resistance (C
res
)
Types of Tooth Movement
Moment
Couple
Center of Rotation (C
rot
)
Moment
If the line of action of a force is at a
distance from the C
res
the force will
produce some rotation. The potential
for rotation is measured as a moment
Moment - Magnitude
Magnitude = perpendicular distance
from C
res
to the line of action X
magnitude of force (unit = gram mm)
Direction: Clockwise or Counter-cw
Couple
No single force can cause pure
rotation
Only a couple can
Two forces: equal magnitude;
parallel and non-collinear; opposite
sense
Couple is a free vector
Couple
Two forces; equal magnitude; parallel and
non-collinear; opposite sense
Translational effects cancel each other out
Couple
The moments are in the same direction and
are additive
Couple
The Sum of the Moments =
50 g X 10 mm 50 g X 10 mm
+
= 1000 gm mm
Only a couple can cause pure rotation
The moment of a couple is equal to the magnitude of one
of the forces X distance between them (50g X 20 mm)
Couple
Definitions
Force
Center of Resistance (C
res
)
Types of Tooth Movement
Moment
Couple
Center of Rotation (C
rot
)
Center of Rotation C
rot

The point around which rotation
occurs when an object is being
moved
This point will vary depending on the
force/moment/couple being applied
Bodily movement or translation
Tipping movement
Determining C
rot

Connect the
before and after
positions of 2
points
The intersection of
the perpendicular
bisectors of these
lines is C
rot

Tooth Movement and C
rot

Type of Movement

Translation

Uncontrolled tipping

Controlled tipping

Root movement
Center of Rotation

Infinity

Slightly apical to C
res


Apex

Incisal edge
Control of Center of
Rotation
Point of application of force:
Closer to Cres
Smaller moment
Less rotation
More translation
LECTURE OBJECTIVES
1. Definition of terms

2. Mechanics of tooth movement

3. Anchorage in orthodontic appliances

Anchorage
Resistance to unwanted tooth
movement
Resistance to reaction forces
Maximizing tooth movement and
minimizing unwanted reactionary
effects
Strategy 1
Reciprocal space closure
Minimum anchorage requirements
Strategy 2 - Differential
Anchorage Values
Differential space closure
Intermediate anchorage requirements
1237 706
Strategy 2A - Differential
Tooth Movement
Differential space closure
Intermediate anchorage requirements
Strategy 3
Dissipate reactionary forces over as
many teeth (or as widely) as possible
Reinforced anchorage
Maximum anchorage
Frictional Effects on
Anchorage
Frictional resistance to sliding
archwires against brackets
Factors Affecting Friction
Surface of wires/bracket -
1) Stainless steel slides well on
stainless steel;
2) Nickel titanium alloy wires have
greater frictional resistance
3) Ceramic brackets also exhibit
greater frictional resistance
LECTURE OBJECTIVES
1. Definition of terms

2. Types of tooth movement

3. Anchorage in orthodontic appliances

LECTURE OBJECTIVES
1. Review Laboratory Procedures:
Arch Length Analysis
Molar Uprighting: Preparing
typodont
Arch Length Analysis =
Space Analysis
Permanent Dentition
Mixed Dentition
Space Analysis
Permanent Dentition
+Arch length available
- M/D width of 12 teeth:
first molar to first molar
__________________________
= Arch length deficiency or
excess
Arch Length
The arch circumference:
measured at the proximal
contacts of posterior teeth and
the incisal edges of anterior
teeth i.e., the widest part of the
tooth.
Measuring Arch Length
Space Analysis
Measuring Tooth Width
Space Analysis:
Mixed Dentition
The same procedure in the mixed
dentition but
Need to estimate the size of
unerupted permanent teeth
(premolars and canines)
Moyers proportionality tables, Tanaka
and Johnston
Space Analysis
Measuring ALD
+Arch length available
- M/D width of teeth mesial
to first molars
_______________________
= Arch length deficiency or
excess
Measuring Arch Length
Moyers: Mixed Dentition
Space Analysis

To estimate the width of unerupted
canines and premolars in a quadrant:
1. Get sum of the mesial-distal width of
the 4 mandibular permanent incisors.
2. Locate value in Table and look up
predicted width of maxillary and
mandibular teeth.
Tanaka-Johnston: Mixed
Dentition Space Analysis

To estimate the width of unerupted
canines and premolars in a quadrant:
1. Get sum of the mesial-distal width of
the 4 mandibular permanent incisors.
2. Divide by 2 and add
11.0 for max. canine + premolars
10.5 for mand. canine + premolars.
Tanaka &Johnston, JADA 88:798, 1974
Rule of Thumb: Mixed
Dentition Space Analysis

To estimate the width of unerupted
canines and premolars in a quadrant:

23mm for maxillary quadrant
22mm for mandibular quadrant
Molar Uprighting Typodont
Molar Uprighting Teeth
Molar Uprighting Wax
Molar Uprighting
Wax Preparation
Molar Uprighting
Segment Preparation
Molar Uprighting
Segment Preparation