Abstract
The effects of orthodontic treatment on periodontal tissues will be discussed. Animal and clinical studies have suggested that applying orthodontic force to an area of periodontitis can cause progression of the disease. However, when plaque control was maintained, no such loss occurred. In addition, it is unlikely that orthodontic forces alone would cause gingival recession that would be associated with attachment loss. Thin gingival phenotype or gingival inflammation due to poor plaque control may be risk factors for gingival recession, so surgical application to increase gingival phenotype should be considered for such areas in advance.
