부산대학교 도서관

This study was designed to elucidate the change of mandibular condyle after fixed functional appliance application histomorphometrically. For this study, mandibular condyle of the 5-week old Sprague-Dawley rats after fixed functional appliance application. After 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days of functional appliance application, animals were sacrificed and made serial section from the mandibular condyle. Same age of rats were used as control group. The sections were prepared by routine method and stained with H-E and TRAP stain. The results were as follows:1. The anterior and posterior region of condylar cartilage zone were thinned at 3 days after functional appliance application, then recovered from 14 days until 28 days after application, reaching control group level.2. The proliferative zone of condyle was thinned at 3 days after functional appliance application, then recovered from 14 days until 21 days after application, reaching control group level.3. The number of osteoclasts at the hypertrophy zone was increased at 3 days after functional appliance application, then reduced from 21 days until 28 days after application, reaching control group level. These results suggest that functional appliance application may induce the remodeling of condyle by press the anterior and posterior region of condyle, therefore prolifeative zone and cartilage zone were thinned and osteoclastic activity at hypertrophy zone was increased. The remodelling of condyle may take about 4 weeks to complete after functional appliance application in rats.