Prolonged effects of hypofunction on the mechanical strength of the periodontal ligament in rat mandibular molars.

The ultimate loads required to extract three mandibular molars in the dissected jaw were examined after elimination of the antagonistic teeth for up to 64 days. The ultimate loads in the experimental first and second molars decreased rapidly in the first few days, while those in the third molar remained low during the same period in both experimental and control groups. The ultimate loads in all three molars of the experimental animals then increased gradually towards the end of the experiment at rates similar to those in controls. Maximum relative reductions of the ultimate load were observed within the first 8 days in all three molars. An increase in the length of roots was also found in all hypofunctional molars. Daily rates of root elongation ranged from 13 to 19 microns/day in the control and from 18 to 26 microns/day in the experimental molars during the whole experiment. The greatest value (80 microns/day) was obtained during the first 8 days in the third molars of both control and experimental animals. Thus the mechanical strength of the periodontal ligament estimated in vitro may be increased by the development of teeth and by non-functional occlusal contacts with the opposing gingiva-covered alveolar ridge deprived of its tooth crowns. The ligament of the third molar was apparently immature at the beginning of the experiment.