Effectiveness, Outcomes, and Safety of Piezocision Compared to Corticotomies in Accelerating Tooth Movement: A Narrative Review

Abstract

  The duration of orthodontic treatment often affects patient compliance and increases the likelihood of complications. Evaluation of the clinical uses, safety, and effectiveness of corticotomy and piezocision as surgical adjuncts for accelerating orthodontic tooth movement is the goal of this narrative review. A thorough search of the literature was done for research published between January 2019 and March 2025 using PubMed, Embase, and Scopus. Information about patient demographics, dental sectors treated, length of therapy, and degree of tooth movement was extracted. Because techniques and results varied, studies were narratively summarized. The included studies showed significant variation in treatment procedures, patient ages, and sample sizes. The intervention that was examined the most was canine retraction. Piezocision and corticotomy both demonstrated efficacy in accelerating tooth movement, with treatment times ranging from two weeks to two years and movement values ranging from 0.53 mm to 6.48 mm. Despite occasional temporary postoperative swelling, piezocision was linked to lower surgical morbidity and demonstrated higher patient satisfaction.  Piezocision is a successful and minimally invasive technique for accelerating orthodontic tooth movement. Although there is evidence of its therapeutic advantages, conclusive findings are limited by the heterogeneity of study designs and outcome measures. Additional long-term, standardized research is required to improve procedures and validate its benefits over traditional corticotomy.