Genetic implications in orthodontic tooth movement

In orthodontics there is an interest in understanding how orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) may be modifi ed with the use of differential anchorage and decreasing treatment time(s). While the focus of these efforts has been on how various procedures or devices affect OTM (i.e., typically increase OTM), there has been little discussion of how the patient’s genetic background may infl uence variation in OTM. In this chapter, the clinician will be introduced to basic concepts of clinical genetics to gain insight into various genetic factors that infl uence bone modeling/remodeling and OTM. We describe how the genetic factors in these important pathways may also infl uence external apical root resorption (EARR) concurrent with OTM. At the end of the chapter, known genetic factors in two conditions that could secondarily affect OTM as they increase treatment complexity (dental primary failure of eruption and dental agenesis) are reviewed, and a select group of syndromes and other genetic conditions that may affect OTM in patients are also summarized.