Disruptions in testosterone levels, whether due to deficiency or from taking high doses of steroids, may negatively affect bone remodeling and more during orthodontic tooth movement. This animal study was published on January 26 in the Journal of Periodontology.
These effects may not only have implications for those with testosterone dysfunction receiving orthodontic treatment, but it is also important for dentists and patients to understand them with the growing use of anabolic steroids for enhanced performance and aesthetics, the authors wrote.
“Testosterone and especially high‐dose anabolic steroids significantly altered the typical response of the bone and roots during orthodontic force application,” wrote the authors, led by Dr. Caio Luiz Bitencourt Reis, an assistant professor with the school of dentistry at Federal University in Alfenas, Brazil.
Molecular and cellular events are necessary for healthy orthodontic tooth movement and overall bone remodeling. Therefore, it is important to investigate factors that affect these processes.
Testosterone plays a vital role in bone metabolism, specifically during puberty, which is why hormone imbalances and their effects on bone health have become a rising concern.
Globally, testosterone deficiency or hypogonadism affects about 5% of adolescent boys. Those with deficiencies often have bone size and quality that are smaller compared to healthy individuals. Most commonly, males with this problem are treated with anabolic-androgenic steroids.
When steroids are taken at replacement doses, boys can experience bone growth restoration. Too many steroids can cause problems. Currently, steroid abuse is estimated at about 12% among boys. Those who misuse steroids to enhance strength or muscle building can experience adverse events, including cardiac and endocrine problems, but how they affect bone health is unknown, the authors wrote.
To explore how testosterone levels affect orthodontic tooth movement, a deficiency of this male hormone was induced through orchiectomy. Also, steroids were administered in replacement and high doses.
Researchers simulated orthodontic tooth movement by using a closed-coil spring on the upper right first molars of male rats. Microcomputed tomography, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze alveolar bone and periodontal ligaments at five and 10-days post-tooth movement. Furthermore, the researchers evaluated root resorption, testosterone, and adrenocorticotropic hormone plasmatic levels, according to the study.
A lack of testosterone deficiency, as well as high doses of anabolic steroids, led to noteworthy alterations in the bone microarchitecture, which resulted in decreased trabecular thickness, reduced bone connectivity, and bone lacunae, the authors wrote.
Additionally, testosterone dysfunction was linked to more rotation and intrusion of the moved tooth, they wrote.
However, the study had limitations, including that female rats were not included in the research, the authors wrote.
“Orthodontic patients with low testosterone levels or those who misuse AAS may exhibit altered responses to orthodontic force. This could include changes in tooth movement rate, increased lichen planus (LP) inflammation, and alveolar bone loss,” Reis and colleagues wrote.
