Controversies and Research Directions in Tooth‐movement Research

Despite the considerable experience in mechanical force‐induced tooth movement, there still exist several persisting controversies and conflicting opinions about issues crucial for the attainment of excellent results within a reasonable time period for most or all patients. Such controversies embrace the features of (optimal) orthodontic force, its best magnitude and duration, the biology of tooth movement (inflammation and mechanotransduction), biomarkers in oral fluids, best methods for acceleration of tooth movement, and long‐term (deleterious) effects of orthodontic treatment. Scientists are discovering that medical care is proving to be as individualized as faces. Each of us is defined by a unique genetic and molecular makeup. This realization is modifying the way diseases are defined and treated and is the basis of a growing movement toward precision medicine, whereby diagnosis and treatment plans are tailored according to a patient’s individual needs. Orthodontists are keenly cognizant of the individual variability of their patients, at least functionally and morphologically, and have begun discovering molecular, genetic, and environmental factors that appear to affect the outcome of mechanotherapy. Thus, the way ahead in terms of identifying the biological determinants of tooth movement is clear.