Effect Of Functional Appliance On The Activity Of Na～+/K～+-ATPase And The Expression Of Its α Subunits In Lateral Pterygoid Muscle And Posterior Portions Of Temporalis Of Juvenile Rats

The background and objectives: Angle's Class â…¡ malocclusion, which can severely degrade the aesthetic characteristics of facial contour, oral function and mental health, takes a high proportion in all kinds of dentofacial deformities. Functional orthodontic appliance has been used to correct skeletal Class â…¡ malocclusion for decades. Investigators have suggested that, when such therapy produces dramatic skeletal and occlusal changes, these changes were caused by enhancement of neuromuscular activities. Masticatory muscles are the most important mediums for functional orthopedic forces. The lateral pterygoid muscle and posterior portions of temporalis which are play important roles in the regulation of condylar growth. The Na~+/K~+-ATPase, or the Na-pump, in sarcolemma is essential for maintenance of concentration gradients for Na~+ and K~+ and...