Mandible measurements and dental midline deviation after alveolar nerve transection in growing rabbits

Abstract

Summary: the relationship between sensitive innervation and normal mandibular bone development has been described in the literature. Therefore, neural damage is a potential cause of osseous deformities, particularly in growing subjects. The aim of this project is to present the mandible measurements obtained after the transection of the inferior alveolar nerve of growing rabbits. A specific surgical protocol was designed to carry out the unilateral nerve transection by avoiding musculoskeletal injuries. Twenty New Zealand White rabbits one week post-weaning were used, 12 as an experimental group and 8 as a control group (Sham operated). The animals were sacrificed 90 days postoperatory, and the mandibles carefully dissected. Dental midline deviation data were obtained under anesthesia, previous to sacrifice. All measurements were obtained with a micron digital caliper. For this study, only anterior-posterior measurements were obtained from five points specifically determined on the rabbit mandible. Each measurement was made three times by the same examiner and the average value was considered. Regarding the anterior-posterior measurements, the molar and incisive regions of the denervated hemimandible were significantly shorter than the corresponding regions in the non-denervated side. The control group did not show these differences. A dental midline deviation was observed, but not always directed on the operated side. However, the deviation values were greater when oriented to the denervated side. These changes did not cause evident deformity or dysfunction in the masticatory system of the animals. They were fed normally and their weight was considered within normal parameters while growing. Despite the biological relationship between sensory inervation and bone morphology, the effect of sensory denervation in early stages of bone growth appears to generate only small alterations on the mandible morphology. However, these alterations do not lead to functional problems in the masticatory system.