Cocoa administration may accelerate orthodontic tooth movement by inducing osteoclastogenesis in rats

Objective(s): To investigate the effect of cocoa on orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) rate, osteoprotegerin (OPG), and receptor activator of nuclear factor κ β ligand (RANKL) levels after OTM.Materials and Methods: A total of 24 Sprague-Dawley rats were included in the study. They were equally divided into two groups: cocoa and control. The upper incisors of all rats were subjected to 35 cN orthodontic force and moved distally with a stainless steel 3-spin coil spring. During OTM, the cocoa group was given 4.8 g of unsweetened cocoa once a day. At 4 subsequent time points (0, 1, 7, and 14 days), the OTM rate was determined by measuring the distance between the mesial tips using a digital caliper, while OPG and RANKL levels were examined based on their gingival crevicular fluid through specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Data gathered were analyzed through independent t-test (P