Fig. 1

Discovery and characterization of ncRNAs’ functions and mechanisms in OTM. Studies of in vitro force stimulation, mouse or rat OTM models, and samples from orthodontic patients are included in this review. First, comparisons of transcripts from RNA sequencing help identify differentially expressed ncRNAs. Subsequent analyses allow in-depth functional elucidation of ncRNA candidates, which contribute to the biomechanical responses of periodontium by generating phenotypic changes during OTM. Mechanistically, miRNAs regulate gene expression primarily by targeting mRNA, while lncRNAs function at epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional levels. Specially, ncRNAs can modulate function of neighbor cells through packaging into extracellular vesicles. In parentheses are some representative examples