Orthodontic
pain that is induced by tooth movement is an important sequela of orthodontic treatment and has a significant effect on patient quality of life. Studies have shown that the high expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in trigeminal ganglions plays a vital role in the transmission and modulation of
orofacial pain. However, little is known about the role of TRPV1 in orthodontic
pain. In this study, male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to six groups to study the role of TRPV1 in the modulation of tooth-movement
pain. The expression levels of TRPV1
mRNA and
protein were determined by real-time PCR and western blot, respectively. Moreover,
pain levels were assessed using the rat grimace scale (RGS). The role of TRPV1 in modulating tooth-movement
pain was examined by injecting a TRPV1 antagonist into the trigeminal ganglia of rats. A lentivirus containing a TRPV1
shRNA sequence was constructed and transduced into the rats' trigeminal ganglia. The results showed that the expression levels of TRPV1
protein and
mRNA were elevated following tooth-movement
pain.
Pain levels increased rapidly on the 1st day, peaked on the 3rd day and returned to baseline on the 14th day. The TRPV1 antagonist significantly reduced tooth-movement
pain. The lentivirus containing a TRPV1
shRNA sequence was able to inhibit the expression of TRPV1 and relieved tooth-movement
pain. In conclusion, TRPV1-based gene therapy may be a treatment strategy for the relief of orthodontic
pain.