Local hormones and growth factors to enhance orthodontic tooth movement: A systematic review of animal studies

Background Prolonged treatment times are the main reason capable of affecting patient compliance with orthodontic treatment. Objectives A systematic review was made to determine whether the local administration of hormones and growth factors effectively enhances orthodontic tooth movement, and to identify possible adverse effects in animal studies. Materials and methods Five databases (PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library) were checked for experimental studies reporting one of the following outcomes: orthodontic tooth movement, histological outcomes and side effects. After data extraction, orthodontic tooth movement linked to adjunctive substances was analysed using forest plots. The risk of bias and the quality of evidence were determined with the SYRCLE tool and the GRADE tool, respectively. Results Twenty-four studies were included in the systematic review. On a specific dose level, epidermal growth factor + liposomes, fibroblast growth factor and prostaglandin E-2 + Ca were supported by a moderate level of evidence and rated as highly effective in increasing tooth movement in animal models. Likewise, there was histological evidence of increased bone remodelling after the administration of these substances. Other compounds were supported by a low to very low level of evidence. Conclusions Hormones and growth factors may have a relevant impact upon orthodontic tooth movement rate. In specific formulations, prostaglandin E-2, fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor showed promising results.