Orthodontic tooth movement after different coxib therapies

Anti-inflammatory substances used for treatment of pain and discomfort related to orthodontic treatment (OT) could slow down tooth movement. Selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors are an alternative to conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The aim of this study was to compare different coxibs on dental movement in the rat. Twenty-eight Wistar male rats (3 months old) divided into four experimental groups were studied: (1) Five rats underwent a 50 g coil spring implantation and received three injections of 0.5 mg/kg body weight (bw) of Rofecoxib in the maxillary gingiva, close to the first molar, on the day of implantation and after 3 and 5 days. Similar procedures were carried out (2) on six animals receiving 8 mg/kg bw of Celecoxib and (3) on five animals receiving 25 mg/kg bw of Parecoxib. (4) For the controls, 12 rats received the same OT but only equivolumetric 0.9 per cent saline solution injections. Tooth movement was measured on lateral cranial teleradiographs after 10 days of treatment. Non-parametric standard techniques (Wilcoxon, H, and Mann-Whitney, U) were used for statistical analysis. Mesial tooth displacement in the control animals was 0.33 +/- 0.07 mm. While no movement was found in rats treated with Rofecoxib, the Celecoxib- and Parecoxib-treated rats showed tooth movement of 0.42 +/- 0.09 mm and 0.22 +/- 0.04 mm, respectively. The differences were statistically significant (H = 13.07; P < 0.004). Celecoxib and Parecoxib, but not Rofecoxib, seem appropriate for discomfort and pain relief while avoiding interference during tooth movement.