IL-1-Beta and TNF-Alpha in gingival crevicular fluid of patients with orthodontic aligners and application of vibrations with sonic toothbrush: a pilot study

Introduction: Non-invasive methods to modulate orthodontic tooth movement have gained interest, particularly those targeting inflammatory mediators such as IL-1β and TNF-α, which regulate osteoclast and osteoblast activity. High-frequency vibrations (HFV), including those delivered by sonic toothbrushes, have been proposed to influence these biological responses. The aim of the study is to assess whether sonic vibrations affect IL-1β and TNF levels in patients undergoing clear aligner therapy. Materials and Methods: Twenty Invisalign® patients were evaluated. For each patient, one tooth received HFV via a 285 Hz sonic toothbrush (experimental), while the contralateral served as a control. Gingival crevicular fluid was sampled at baseline (T0), after one week without HFV (T1), and after one week with HFV (T2). Cytokines were measured by ELISA. Because data were non-normally distributed, non-parametric tests were applied. Results: No significant differences across T0–T2 were found within the HFV group. At T2, IL-1β levels were significantly lower in the HFV group (mean: 23.04; SD: ± 20.18) than in controls (mean: 44.44; SD: ± 47.14), which showed an IL-1β increase with orthodontic force alone. TNF-α levels remained near the ELISA detection limit. Conclusions: Sonic vibrations combined with clear aligners appear to reduce IL-1β secretion and local inflammation without adverse effects. Sonic toothbrushes provide a simple HFV delivery method, though larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.