Evaluation of the Effect of Oral Vitamin D3 Supplement on Orthodontic Tooth Movement: A Randomized Clinical Trial Study

Aim: One of the problems that orthodontists commonly face is the prolonged duration of the treatment. Therefore, it is important to find an effective method to increase the rate of orthodontic tooth movement (OTM). This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of oral administration of vitamin D3 on OTM rates in humans. Materials and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial study, we selected 29 healthy women aged 18–25 years who sought orthodontic treatment and required bilateral maxillary first premolar extraction. Participants were tested to measure the blood levels of vitamin D3 and, based on the outcomes, were divided into three groups: control (without vitamin D3 deficiency; N = 10), placebo ( N = 9), and experiment ( N = 10), both with vitamin D3 deficiency. Subjects of the last two groups, who were randomly assigned, received 50,000 IU (International Unit) vitamin D3 pearls (Dana Pharmaceutical Company, Tabriz, Iran) or a placebo every 2 weeks for 2 months. Inclusion criteria were patients requiring bilateral extraction of the first premolar in the maxilla. The canines were retracted by nickel-titanium (NiTi) coil springs into the extraction sites. At the beginning, after 1 and 2 months, the distance between canine and lateral teeth on both sides was measured to calculate OTM. Results: In the first month ( t (1–2)), the mean values of OTM in the placebo group were higher than the other groups. However, during the second month ( t (2–3)) and overall ( t (1–3)), the experiment group showed a higher OTM. The experiment and control groups were statistically different in all three time periods ( P-value < .05). The difference between the experiment and placebo groups was only significant in t (2–3) ( P-value < .05). Whereas the placebo and control groups showed a significant difference in t (1–2) ( P-value < .05). Conclusion: Vitamin D3 deficiency seems to increase OTM. Receiving oral supplements of vitamin D3 may not have much effect on increasing the level of vitamin D3. The lowest OTM rate was observed in the control group.