Acceleration of canine retraction with conventional versus modified piezocision techniques : A randomized controlled clinical trial.

purposeTo compare the acceleration effect of piezocision and modified piezocision (a combination of piezocision and piezopuncture) on canine retraction.

methodsIn this two-arm parallel, split-mouth randomized clinical trial, 30 participants (15-25 years) undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment with the extraction of first upper premolars and canine retraction were randomly assigned to piezocision or modified piezocision groups. Thirty surgical procedures were performed using a split-mouth design, with 15 in each interventional arm, and the contralateral sides were treated in a conventional way (control). Outcomes assessed included the amount of canine retraction (primary outcome variable), rotation, inclination changes, root resorption, and molar anchorage loss. Data analysis included paired t‑tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests (between experimental and control sides), independent t‑tests, and Mann-Whitney U tests (between experimental sides). The level of significance was set at P < 0.05.

resultsCanine retraction on the experimental side in the piezocision group was 1.5 times greater than on the control side (3.83 ± 0.17 mm vs. 2.46 ± 0.31 mm, P < 0.001). In the modified piezocision group, retraction was nearly twice as great on the experimental side compared to the control (5.13 ± 0.14 mm vs. 2.50 ± 0.32 mm, p = 0.001). The modified piezocision technique showed significantly higher (p-value < 0.001) canine retraction than the original piezocision technique. Secondary outcomes showed nonsignificant differences. No harm was observed other than mild postsurgical pain and swelling, which were controlled with appropriate medications.

conclusionBoth modified and traditional piezocision techniques effectively accelerated canine retraction. However, the modified technique demonstrated superior results, offering a promising avenue for future orthodontic practice.