Functional adaptation of interradicular alveolar bone to reduced chewing loads on dentoalveolar joints in rats.

Objectives: The effects of reduced chewing loads on load bearing integrity of interradicular bone (IB) within dentoalveolar joints (DAJ) in rats were investigated.

Methods: Four-week-old Sprague Dawley rats (N = 60) were divided into two groups; rats were either fed normal food, which is hard-pellet food (HF) (N = 30), or soft-powdered chow (SF) (N = 30). Biomechanical testing of intact DAJs and mapping of the resulting mechanical strains within IBs from 8- through 24-week-old rats fed HF or SF were performed.