Biomarkers of Orthodontic Tooth Movement With Fixed Appliances and Vibration Appliance Therapy: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Phase: NA
Conditions: Tooth Movement
Sponsor: UConn Health

Version 2.1  : October 13, 2015                   
Biomarkers of orthodontic tooth movement with fixed appliances and vibration appliance 
therapy: A randomized clinical trial
Principal Investigator
Flavio Uribe DDS, MDentSc
Division of Orthodontics
Department of Craniofacial Sciences
University of Connecticut Health Center
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1) Title
Biomarkers of orthodontic tooth movement with fixed appliances and vibration appliance therapy: 
A randomized clinical trial
2) Background
Orthodontic clinical treatment ranges between 21-27 months for nonextraction treatment and 25-
35 months for extraction treatment1. Reducing clinic treatment time has a number of major 
advantages, including reducing the risk of caries2 and root resorption3.  In addition, one may expect 
that extended treatment times impact patient compliance as well contribute to negative perceptions 
that ultimately deter individuals from seeking orthodontic treatment. There is therefore great 
interest to identify novel methods which modulate orthodontic tooth movement and increase the 
speed and efficiency of treatment.
The application of orthodontic force results in remodeling of the dental pulp, periodontal ligament, 
alveolar bone and surrounding soft tissues.4 A number of factors have been shown to be 
increased with the application of orthodontic force and to activate osteoclasts and osteoblasts, 
the chief cells of bone remodeling.  Regulation of the Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor Kappa 
B/ Osteoprotegrerin (RANKL/OPG) axis has been studied both in vitro and in animal models of 
tooth movement. This system appears to play a central role in the tightly coupled process of bone 
remodeling.  RANKL is expressed in osteoblasts and is responsible for the recruitment, 
differentiation, and survival of osteoclasts.  OPG is a soluble decoy receptor for RANKL which is 
both expressed in osteoclasts and functions to block RANKL-mediated osteoclast activation in a 
negative feedback loop maintaining homeostasis between bone formation and resorption.  
Numerous orthodontic studies in animal models have highlighted the role of the RANKL/OPG 
system 5-7 and more recently, temporal changes during orthodontic tooth movement have been 
measured in a humans.8 
Other pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukins (ILs) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are 
also known to be activated in response to orthodontic force. Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF) 
and interleukins have been shown to directly and indirectly induce osteoclastogenesis.  TNF9, 
IL-110,11, IL-612,13, IL-814 and IL-1715 have been shown to be significantly elevated in response to 
orthodontic force.  Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are important biomarkers of tissue 
breakdown and are involved in collagen breakdown during bone remodeling.  A number of MMPs 
have been shown to have increased expression during orthodontic tooth movement.16,17  MMP-9 
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has been shown to be increased in gingival crevicular fluid in response to orthodontic force.18-21 
MMP-13 has also been shown to be highly expressed in the Periodontal Ligament (PDL) and 
adjacent alveolar bone during tooth movement.22,23
A number of approaches have been employed to enhance the biological mechanisms involved in 
tooth movement including pharmaceutical therapies using parathyroid hormone (PTH)24, 
thyroxine25, Vitamin D3 [1,25 (OH)2D3]26, and prostaglandins27. While these agents can increase 
tooth movement, they also have adverse effects including local pain, severe root resorption and 
drug-induced side effects28,29. An added physical approaches, such as vibration, may modulate 
the local microenvironment and alter the expression of key biological factors involved in tooth 
movement without adverse effects.
Vibration and Orthodontic Tooth Movement
Studies examining the effect of cyclical loading have shown potential for an acceleration of tooth 
movement when vibration is added to fixed forces. At the cellular level, vibration has been shown 
to enhance the osteogenic potential of PDL stem cells, driving increased expression of bone 
formation factors like type I collagen, Runx2 and Osterix. These stem cells also show a frequency-
dependent increase in alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin expression in the range of 40Hz to 
120Hz30.  Resonance vibration of 60Hz  when applied intermittently has been shown to accelerate 
tooth movement in rats, possibly through an increase in RANKL expression within the PDL31.  In 
addition, pulsed electromagnetic field vibration has been shown to accelerate tooth movement in 
rats when used in conjunction with fixed appliance therapy32. 
At the clinical level, a randomized controlled clinical trial in humans by Pavlin and colleagues 
showed a two-fold increase in the speed of alignment of the mandibular dentition and a 38% 
reduction in the time of space closure with the AcceleDent vibration appliance used twice daily at 
10 minute intervals (unpublished data).  Using the same protocol of vibration another study 
showed that, there was no significant difference in the speed of alignment, with similar reductions 
in irregularity at 10 weeks compared to subjects not undergoing vibration therapy33.  Based on 
the limited evidence available, it is clear that further clinical and translational studies are required 
to determine the potential for this appliance to accelerate orthodontic tooth movement and better 
understand the biologic processes that may be involved.
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Vibration Treatment- Bone Remodeling Biomarker Measurement 
Identifying factors that are differentially expressed in response to mechanical force and further 
modulated by additive vibration could help to:
1.
define the complex pathways involved in and 
2.
provide information that would be useful for further accelerating orthodontic tooth 
movement. 
Changes at the molecular and cellular levels ideally should be examined in real time to better 
understand the temporal changes after force activation.  For osteoclasts, markers of bone 
resorption are currently available.  One primary indicator of bone resorption are the breakdown 
products of type-I collagen which subsequently results in an increase in byproducts such as C-
telopeptides of type 1 collagen (CTX) that are detectable in the serum34, urine35 and saliva36. In 
addition, osteoblast activity can be measured in real time by evaluating markers of bone formation 
such as osteocalcin (OC)37,38 and bone specific alkaline phosphatase (ALP).
Evaluating the expression of specific markers of bone remodeling in orthodontic patients using a 
vibration appliance may well aid our understanding the molecular pathways involved in 
accelerating tooth movement.  The research methods used should have a high level of sensitivity 
for the targets of interest and be obtained by a minimally invasive method for patients, especially 
considering the target clinical age group . Utilizing saliva as a means of evaluating biomarkers is 
a newly emerging field in oral diagnostics and is showing great promise.39  In orthodontics, the 
use of salivary biomarkers is in its early stages but showing great potential. To date, only a few 
studies have evaluated the salivary changes in the expression of different bone remodeling 
factors8,40,41 during orthodontic tooth movement. Understanding the complex molecular pathways 
involved in orthodontic tooth movement as well as how specific factors are differentially expressed 
when combined with vibration treatment could be valuable to help identify future targets of 
treatment.
Vibration Treatment- Pain and Quality of Life During Orthodontic Treatment
In addition to a potential role in accelerating tooth movement, vibration may help reduce the 
orthodontic pain experienced in the early stages following force activation.  A few studies have 
examined the role of vibration on pain.  One study showed that in dental patients receiving local 
anesthesia, vibration applied extra-orally near the injection site resulted in reduced pain 
parameters and perceptions of pain.42 Temporal Mandibular Dysfunction (TMD) pain has been 
shown to be reduced in response to vibration therapy.43  Only one orthodontic study has examined 
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the role of vibration treatment in orthodontic patient, not showing a significant difference in pain 
experiences during the first week of treatment.33  It could be useful to understand how the pain 
experienced by the orthodontic patient changes over a longer period of time and over subsequent 
visits (15-17 weeks) to better understand the role of vibration treatment in modulating orthodontic 
pain.
Studies have shown that the oral health quality of life (OHQoL) is impacted by orthodontic 
treatment.  After orthodontic treatment, studies have shown a significant improvement in OHQoL 
compared to baseline measures.44,45  However, during orthodontic treatment, OHQoL reduces 
significantly, as has been shown in younger patients.46 Motivation measures related to self-
empowerment and participation in treatment have been shown to improve the overall OHQoL in 
schoolchildren.47  Limited studies are available regarding the OHQoL during orthodontic treatment 
and further studies are needed to determine which factors contribute to improving the overall 
experience for patients successfully completing orthodontic  nonextraction treatment with tooth 
movement . 
Study Rationale
Currently, orthodontic treatment typically lasts approximately 2 years.  There are a number of 
advantages for reducing the duration of treatment, including reducing the potential risk of caries2, 
root resorption3 and for minimizing patient “burn out” from prolonged treatment.
While some evidence does exist that vibration may accelerate the speed of tooth movement, the 
biological mechanism is still unknown.  Identification of specific factors involved in tooth 
movement that are further stimulated by vibration would help to understand the mechanisms 
involved as well as discover possible biologic targets which could be utilized or modified  to 
maximize the benefits of vibration treatment.   
The purpose of this study is to identify novel biological factors that are expressed in patients 
undergoing orthodontic tooth movement in conjunction with vibration appliance therapy.  
Outcome Assessments

Primary outcome: Changes in the expression of salivary biomarkers of bone remodeling

Secondary outcomes: Changes in 1) tooth mobility, 2) change in alignment 3) changes in 
pain and OHQoL
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Hypotheses, aims and objectives
Scientific Hypotheses
1) The expression of biological markers of bone remodeling are increased in combined vibration-
fixed appliance treatment.
2) The degree of tooth mobility is increased in patients undergoing combined vibration-fixed 
appliance treatment compared to orthodontic treatment alone.
3) The percent change in alignment is greater in patients undergoing combined vibration-fixed 
appliance treatment compared to controls during the first 6 months of treatment.
4) The orthodontic treatment pain will be reduced in patients undergoing combined treatment 
with a vibration appliance compared to controls.
General Objectives
Few studies exist examining the effect of vibration appliances on the rate of orthodontic tooth 
movement in patients.  Furthermore, there is a great need to better understand the biological 
mechanisms by which vibration treatment may enhance tooth movement.  The primary objective 
of this study is to identify potential factors involved in bone remodeling which may be regulated 
during fixed appliance treatment in conjunction with vibration therapy.
Specific Aims
1) To determine if combined vibration-fixed appliance treatment alters the expression of 
specific bone remodeling factors in saliva compared to fixed orthodontic treatment alone.
2) To further elucidate the role of vibration treatment on the degree of tooth mobility during 
fixed appliance treatment compared to control.
3) To determine if combined vibration-fixed appliance treatment increases the speed of 
orthodontic tooth movement during the alignment phase of treatment.
4) To evaluate the role of vibration treatment in the control of pain in patients undergoing 
orthodontic treatment.
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Study Design and Screening Procedures
Study Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial:
                        N=40 @ UCHC Orthodontic Clinic, enrolled pre-bonding
                        10 Randomized to each Arm
Screening & Recruitment Procedures
Approximately 600 patients begin treatment every year in the University of Connecticut 
Orthodontic Clinic.  The pilot project aim is to recruit a total of 40 patients, with 20 male and 20 
female subjects, equally divided between control and vibration groups (above)..  Based on the 
projected starts, we anticipate meeting the recruitment goals during the first 12 months of the 
study.
Prospective subjects will be screened for this study after completing all the usual initial screening 
procedures for patients in the University of Connecticut Orthodontic Clinic with their appointed 
primary orthodontic provider. The primary orthodontic provider will determine if the adult patient 
is likely to qualify (pre-screen) for the study based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria.  The initial 
clinical indicators of eligibility evaluated during the pre-screen are a healthy patient undergoing 
non-extraction treatment with good oral hygiene.  Male and female subjects of all ethnicities will 
be included if between the ages of 15-35 years of age.
 
If the prospective adult patient meets the initial criteria, the orthodontic provider will notify the 
study coordinator and PI to screen the patient’s existing dental records, including screening forms, 
models and/or radiographs for confirmation of likely eligibility for participation in the study.  
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When children ages 15-17 are considered for pre-screen, the provider will first obtain permission 
from one parent and then from the patient prospect prior to determining eligibility from the 
screening of existing records. If the child passes screening, the parent would be first approached 
by the provider about interest in participation, before also approaching the child and making a 
referral to the PI or Study Coordinator.
Enrollment
After the primary orthodontic provider pre-screens and identifies an interested potential subject 
for the study coordinator, the study coordinator will meet to discuss the study with the subject at 
the next appointed visit, typically the Orthodontic records appointment, at least 1 week prior to 
band bonding. Prior to conducting consent, the study coordinator will confirm the patient’s is 
eligibility for the study based on review of the patient’s clinical chart and the following 
inclusion/exclusion criteria:
Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Healthy, non-smoker with no systemic medical 
conditions and no routine medications
Patients that require extractions as part of the 
orthodontic plan
15 to 35 years of age at the time of bonding
Smoking or excessive alcohol consumption
Non-extraction treatment plan or no extractions 
required in the first 6 months of treatment
Patients with edentulous areas
At least 5mm of crowding in the mandibular arch
Evidence of periodontal disease (any pocket depths 
more than 4mm)
Full-complement dentition 1st molar to 1st molar
Use of anti-inflammatory drugs within 2 days of bonding
Good oral hygiene
Active oral lesions (ulcerations, sores, mucositis, etc.)
Uncontrolled diabetes
Dentofacial 
deformities 
(cleft 
palate, 
hemifacial 
microsomia, etc.)
Subjects 
routinely 
taking 
any 
of 
the 
following 
medications:
Corticosteroids (including for asthma)
Bisphosphonates
Anti-inflammatories
Nicotine Patch
Estrogen
Opioids
Growth Hormone
Relaxin
Anti-coagulants
Disease that could affect bone metabolism:
Parathyroid or thyroid dysfunction
Osteoporosis, osteomalacia
Vitamin D deficiency
Fibrous dysplasia
Paget’s Disease
Multiple Myeloma
Osteogenesis Imperfecta
History of Bone Metastasis
Patients taking medications such as bisphosphonates, 
corticosteroids or any anti-inflammatory drug
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If the patient meets the above criteria, the study coordinator will further discuss the details of the 
study and obtain consent from the patient and/or parent (if the patient is under the age of 18)- in 
a private manner and after all questions having been answered.  Patients must be enrolled into 
the study prior to the routinely scheduled bonding of fixed appliances by their provider.  
Instructions will be given to the patient/parent prior to the first study visit (T0), including to not take 
any analgesic medications prior to the first appointment.
Study Procedures
I. Standardized Orthodontic Treatment Protocol
The orthodontic clinic treatment protocol will be standardized to minimize variability in the 
sequence of treatment.  All subjects will be bonded with 0.022”X0.028” brackets passive self-
ligating brackets with maximal band tension (MBT) prescription from 2nd premolar to 2nd premolar 
in both arches and bonded tubes on the 1st molars at the baseline (T0) visit.  Each subject will 
have a 0.014” copper nickel titanium (NiTi) archwire placed at the initial visit.  At T2, the next 
archwire in the sequence (0.014”X0.025” copper NiTi) will be placed.
Subjects will be seen at normally appointed visits every 4-6 weeks.  The primary orthodontic 
provider will direct the alignment and leveling phase of treatment and proceed through the wire 
sequence as indicated. No specific procedure/timeframe will be assigned to placement of each 
archwire.  Providers are expected to proceed to the next archwire when it can be placed 
comfortably based on the degree of alignment achieved. 
In the event of bracket breakages, the subject is to be seen within 7 days to have the bracket 
rebonded, in standard care as well as the study.  The primary orthodontic provider will reposition 
the bracket in the ideal position and continue with alignment using the study archwires.  If the 
subject does not present with 7 days of the breakage, he/she will be disqualified from the study.  
II. Randomization Procedures
Once recruited to the study and after baseline measures are taken at T0 by the study coordinator, 
the randomization will be performed.  Since study groups will be subdivided by gender, separate 
randomization will be performed for males and females.  Block randomization will be used.  Based 
on gender, 20 opaque envelopes will be generated containing the group allocation (10 for the 
vibration study group, 10 for the non-vibration control group).  At the time of randomization, the 
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subject will choose an envelope and disclose the group assignment. For subjects allocated to the 
vibration group, the study coordinator will provide detailed instructions as to how to operate the 
appliance and will instruct those subjects to use it for 20 minutes per day.
Timetable of Study Assessments 
Assessment/
Visit
Screen
Baseline/
T0
Visit 
T1
Visit
T2
Visit
T3
Week
-2d-to -6w
0
5-6 
10-12 
15-17 
Consent
X
Inclusion 
Criteria/ 
Confirm
X
X
Alginate 
Impression
X
X
X
X
Randomization
*
X
Braces applied 
/bonded
X
Vibration 
Appliance 
instructions**
X
Saliva 
Collection
X
X
X
X
Clinical Data
X
X
X
X
Periotest
X
X
X
X
Pain Diary*** 
& OHIP 14
X
X
X
X***
Model Analysis
X
X
X
X
Record 
Adverse Effects
X
X
X
X
*Randomization before bonding
**For vibration group only- SC initially provides device and manufacturer’s instructions. 
*** Diary provided @ Baseline & visit T1, T1 to be collected on next visit. 
III. Data Collection Procedures (See Study Timetable)
On the day of bonding (T0), prior to the placement of any appliances, baseline unstimulated whole 
saliva will be collected and Periotest will performed on selected teeth in the mandibular arch.  In 
addition, alginate model impressions will be taken.  These procedures will be described in more 
detail in the next sections.  Once baseline measures have been taken, the PI will perform the 
randomization and notify the study coordinator as to which group the subject is assigned to 
(“vibration treatment” or “no vibration”).  The patients allocated to the vibration treatment group 
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will be provided with the AcceleDent appliance and instructed to use the 20 minutes per day 
according to the manufacturer’s instructions.   
After fixed appliances are placed and tooth movement begins, subjects will proceed with standard 
orthodontic treatment with or without vibration treatment based on allocation.  Collection of saliva 
samples, Periotest and alginate impressions will be taken at T1 (5-6 weeks post-T0), T2 (10-12 
weeks post-T0) and T3 (15-17 weeks post-T0).  Subjects will be seen between noon and 5pm to 
help minimize possible confounding of salivary markers by circadian rhythms.
Salivary Biomarkers
Collection of unstimulated whole saliva will be performed using the same methods described by 
Navazesh and Kumar48:
“The patient is advised to refrain from intake of any food or beverage (water
exempted) one hour before the test session. Smoking, chewing gum and intake of
coffee also are prohibited during this hour. The subject is advised to rinse his or her
mouth several times with deionized (distilled) water and then to relax for five minutes.
The patient is then told the following: “I will first obtain measures of saliva
flow while you are at rest. This means that before and during the collection you
should make every effort to minimize movement, particularly movements of your
mouth. To begin a collection trial, I will ask you to swallow to void the mouth of
saliva. Then you should lean your head forward over the test tube and funnel”
(demonstrate). “Keep your mouth slightly open and allow saliva to drain into the
tube. Keep your eyes open. At the end of the collection period, I will ask you to collect
any remaining saliva in your mouth and spit it into the test tube. This movement
should be done very quickly and should be done in the same manner from trial
to trial. This is very important. Do you understand the procedures?”
When you start a trial, tell the subject:
1. Swallow to begin a trial (begin timing).
2. Make as little movement as possible. Do not swallow, and keep your eyes open
during collection periods.
3. At the conclusion of the trial, collect the remaining saliva and spit it out.”
Unstimulated whole saliva will be collected by passive drooling into sterile centrifuge tubes on ice 
for 15 minutes or once 2-10mL of saliva is collected at baseline and  each visit, whichever occurs 
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first49. Once saliva is collected, samples will be kept on ice and supplemented with proteinase 
inhibitor.  Samples will then be centrifuged for 10 minutes at 3000 rpm to remove cellular debris 
and supernatants will be collected and stored at -80C until they are ready to be analyzed for 
biomarkers50. 
Biomarkers will be evaluated by ELISA assay by a direct sandwich method using a standard 
protocol.  Primary antibodies to selected factors will be pre-coated onto 96 well dishes. Sample 
product or standards will be incubated on the coated plates and a secondary conjugated antibody 
will be used to detect binding using chemiluminescence.  Selected target biomarker antibodies 
include ALP, RANKL/TRANCE, OPG, Osteocalcin (marker of bone formation), MMP8, MMP13, 
TNFα, IL1a, IL1b, IL3, IL6, IL11 and IL18. Human antibodies to these targets will be obtained 
from R&D Systems, Inc.  In addition, salivary C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) (an 
indicator of bone resorption) will be analyzed by ELISA assay using a RatLaps kit 
(Immunodiagnosis System, Inc.) 
Periotest Measurement Procedures
This measurement is obtained at baseline and each visit The degree of tooth mobility will be used 
using a Periotest device (Siemens AG, Bensheim, Germany) on the central incisors, canines and 
2nd premolars in both mandibular quadrants as previously described by Liou et al.51  The archwire 
will be removed and the Periotest measurements will be taken in triplicate, with means recorded.  
The Periotest handpiece will be positioned such that the tip is 2mm from the labial surface and 
perpendicular to the tooth surface for measurements.  The examiner will locate an area on the 
labial surface that has sufficient space for the tip to contact the tooth surface and be able to take 
consistent measurements.  Detectable Periotest values (PTV) range from -8.0 to +50, with  data 
values correlated, as below, to the degree of mobility based on Miller’s index52,53:
PTV Measure
Indication
-8.0 to +9.0
No movement distinguishable
+10.0 to +19.0
First distinguishable sign of mobility
+20.0 to +29.0
Crown deviates within 1mm of normal position
+30.0 to +50.0
Mobility is easily noticeable
Dental Model Analysis 
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Two blinded clinical evaluators will assess the rate of alignment of the lower incisors for both 
groups.  Analyses of dental casts will be done on the mandibular cast using a method based on 
Little’s irregularity index. Little’s irregularity index was developed to assess amount of anterior 
tooth displacement from canine to canine (see Cast Irregularity Data Collection Form).  Contact 
displacement will be measured in millimeters around the arch from canine to canine.  Irregularity 
will be measured on models from each of the four time points and be evaluated based on 
percentage change over the 6-month evaluation period. 
Orthodontic Pain Assessment 
Subjects will be given a pain diary on the baseline (T0), visits T1 & T2 to record the level of 
orthodontic pain each evening for the first 7 days after each study visit.  The degree of pain will 
be assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) ranging from 1 (least pain) to 10 (highest pain)54.  
In addition, patients will report if the pain is constant or only present on biting/chewing55.  The 
subjects will return the completed diary to the next visit to be collected by the study coordinator 
and kept in the study record.
Oral Health Quality of Life (OHQoL)
To assess the impact of the vibration appliance on the overall oral health quality of life of the 
subject, subjects will be given an Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire56. The OHIP-
14 consists of 14 questions divided into specific dimensions including functional limitation, 
physical pain, psychological discomfort, physical disability, psychological and social disability and 
overall life handicap from orthodontic treatment with or without the vibration appliance. The OHIP-
14 (exhibit below) will be administered at each study visit and the profile changes will be compared 
across time points in data analyses.
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OHIP-14 Questionnaire:
Dimension
Question
Weight
Have you had trouble pronouncing any words because of problems with 
your teeth or mouth?
0.51
Functional 
Limitation
Have you felt that your sense of taste has worsened because of problems 
with your teeth or mouth?
0.49
Have you had painful aching in your mouth?
0.34
Physical Pain
Have you found it uncomfortable to eat any foods because of problems 
with your teeth or mouth?
0.66
Have you been self-conscious because of your teeth or mouth?
0.45
Psychological 
Discomfort
Have you felt tense because of problems with your teeth or mouth?
0.55
Has your diet been unsatisfactory because of problems with your teeth or 
mouth?
0.52
Physical 
Disability
Have you had to interrupt meals because of problems with your teeth or 
mouth?
0.48
Have you found it difficult to relax because of problems with your teeth or 
mouth?
0.60
Psychological 
Disability
Have you been a bit embarrassed because of problems with your teeth or 
mouth
0.40
Have you been a bit irritable with other people because of problems with 
your teeth or mouth?
0.62
Social 
Disability
Have you had difficulty doing your usual jobs because of problems with 
your teeth or mouth?
0.38
Have you felt that life in general was less satisfying because of problems 
with your teeth or mouth?
0.59
Handicap
Have you been totally unable to function because of problems with your 
teeth or mouth?
0.41
Each question is answered on a 5-point scale:
0=never
1=hardly ever
2=occasionally
3=fairly often
4=very often
Individual scores are multiplied by the weights to give a subscale score for each category.
IV. Sample size and justification
Few studies exist evaluating salivary biomarkers during orthodontic tooth movement.  Our primary 
outcome is changes in the expression of specific biomarkers of cellular activation and bone 
remodeling. No RCTs are currently available to predict treatment effects on biomarker expression. 
This study will serve as a pilot project with 40 patients total in 4 groups divided by gender and 
vibration/no-vibration treatment arms.   
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We estimate 600 patients in the target age range beginning orthodontic treatment at the University 
of Connecticut Orthodontic Clinic each year. We anticipate meeting our recruitment goal for this 
study. 
V. Subject Participation
The timing of visit activity is planned to coincide with normally scheduled clinic provider/patient 
visits. Typically, treatment for non-extraction cases last from 12-30 months in the Orthodontic 
clinic using fixed appliances.  However, the subjects will only be evaluated during the first 6 
months of their clinical appliance treatment for the study purpose and data.  Providers will follow 
patients every 5-6 weeks and the study coordinator will ensure/confirm the patients for study 
appointments per Timetable, pg. 9. After completion of the observation  and data collection phase 
( up to 17 weeks), the patients will continue to proceed with treatment as directed by the their 
primary orthodontic provider. Data collection will occur at normally scheduled visits with no 
additional appointments specific to the study.  
In the event that the PI determines that a subject is not suited to continue in the study  (eg. the 
subject shows consistent failure to keep appointed visits, consistent breakage of appliances, 
patient safety considerations, etc.) he/she will be withdrawn by the PI from the study and no further 
data will be collected. Specifically, poor compliance with attending appointments during the 
allotted time frame for each study visit will result in subjects being disqualified from the study.  For 
example, the follow-up time frame for T1 is 5-6 weeks after T0 (baseline).  Therefore if the patient 
misses an appointment and cannot or does not reschedule to attend his/her appoint during the 
allotted time from (by 6 weeks after T0), then he/she will be disqualified from the study.  Also, in 
the event of bracket breakages (as stated earlier), the subject is to be seen within 7 days to have 
the bracket rebounded.  The primary orthodontic provider will reposition the bracket in the ideal 
position and continue with alignment using the study archwires.  If the subject does not present 
with 7 days of the breakage, he/she will be disqualified from the study.  
The data collected to that point will be utilized in analyses.  The patient’s treatment will continue 
with the primary orthodontic provider consistent with the standard of care.
VI. Statistical/Data Analysis
Intra and inter-rater reliability of the irregularity measurements will be assessed using the T0 and 
T3 models evaluated by the two blinded evaluators one week apart for all patients. A Cronbach 
alpha analysis will be used to assess reliability of the measurements. A single calibrated evaluator 
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15
(the study coordinator) will collect all tooth mobility measurements with the Periotest and means 
will be evaluated using non-parametric statistical analyses.  
A Wilcoxon Rank Sum test for independent samples will be used to assess differences between 
groups for all the continuous variables with an =0.05 for irregularity index changes-Periotest 
measurements, VAS &OHIP-14 measures. 
Salivary biomarker expression will be analyzed by ANOVA to assess differences between the four 
study groups at each time point.  The study coordinator and principal investigator will perform 
statistical analyses.  
VII. Timetable Table Timeline of Performance Goals: 
Activity
Year 1-
2014
Year 2-
2015
IRB, Staff training & preparation
X
Subject Recruitment &Enrollment
X X X
Final Assessments/Endpoints (17 weeks)
X
Data Entry & Cleaning 
X X X
Data analyses
X X
Report writing
X
Expected Start Date: 2/1/2014
General Time Table
January 2014
Submit IRB for full board review
February 2014
Enrollment begins
Begin data collection for T0 time point in recruited subjects
August 2014
Initially recruited subjects complete study to final endpoint (T4)
June 2015
All consented subjects will have completed study 
Data collection complete  ( N=20)
IRB Review
IRB NUMBER: 14-117-2
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IRB EXPIRATION DATE: 08/27/2018

16
July 2015
Data analyses conducted
August 2015
Manuscript Preparation

Expected Completion Date: August 2015
5)
Budget
Patients will be responsible for covering the cost of orthodontic treatment in the University of 
Connecticut Orthodontics Clinic (either directly or with insurance). However, a deduction of 
$400.00 on the standard orthodontic fees will be given to every patient enrolling in the research. 
The participants will receive this incentive in the form of $100.00 at each research appointment 
completed until the maximum benefit is reached. If a participant is not compliant with the study 
protocol, he/she will be dismissed from the study and will not receive any further compensation. 
The same orthodontic procedures will be used for all subjects in this study regardless of study 
group. 
Please see the attached budget detailing the study-specific costs.
6)
Dissemination
The results of this research will be published in a peer-reviewed dental journal.  In addition, this 
work is likely to be presented at national/international meetings.
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IRB NUMBER: 14-117-2
IRB APPROVAL DATE: 08/28/2017
IRB EXPIRATION DATE: 08/27/2018

17
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IRB APPROVAL DATE: 08/28/2017
IRB EXPIRATION DATE: 08/27/2018