Long-term follow up of clinical outcome of orthodontic tooth movement following extraction of previously auto-transplanted maxillary canines and bone grafting: a case report.

BACKGROUND

The present case is a 13-year follow up of a patient in which the treatment plan involved removal of unsatisfactory auto-transplanted maxillary canines together with a bone graft to re-establish normal dento-alveolar ridge morphology. Active tooth movement occurred in the graft site. At the time, this was a new approach and there was no information in the literature as to the outcome of this treatment modality. Long-term reports regarding the success of this treatment are lacking.

AIMS

To assess the long-term outcome of active tooth movement into a site that required bone grafting.

METHODS

The upper right canine was non-vital with poor periodontal support on its buccal aspect. Examination revealed a substantial bony defect with a loss of the buccal cortical plate following extraction. To augment the ridge defect bone was taken from the maxillary tuberosity and grafted in the upper right canine extraction site and fixed with a bone screw. Protraction of the first premolar and retraction of the lateral incisor into the graft site was slow and constant.

RESULTS

Significant closure of the upper canine extraction space was achieved. There were no significant detrimental bone changes in the interproximal areas of 14 and 12.

CONCLUSION

By employing a bone graft to reestablish alveolar bone prior to tooth movement, excellent bone support, periodontal health and a long-term stable result were obtained.