Dentists and Prosthodontics Annual Meeting

Treatment planning for missing maxillary lateral incisors is a common clinical predicament encountered by orthodontists and prosthodontists. Three main treatment options exist including: canine substitution; a tooth supported restoration; or a single tooth dental implant. An interdisciplinary approach is important throughout treatment planning, and subsequent treatment can involve dental team members such as an orthodontist, oral and maxillofacial surgeon and prosthodontist. The advantage of using dental implants to replace maxillary lateral incisors lies in excellent success and survival rates, and the lack of need to involve adjacent teeth in a fixed restoration. A 23 year old male patient was referred to the clinic after appropriate orthodontic treatment had been completed. Computerized tomography and clinical examination revealed that two narrow dental implant could be placed for congenitally missing maxillary lateral incisors. Three months after the placement of implants, a modified flap was applied for increasing the buccal soft tissue. Subsequently soft tissue healing, prosthetic restorations were completed with zircone porcelain restoration. The predictability of implant therapy has revolutionized how clinicians treat a wide array of tooth replacement situations, including the problem of a congenitally missing maxillary lateral incisor. Although a number of therapeutic alternatives should be considered, treatment with implants allows the clinician to avoid the preparation of adjacent teeth and provides a predictable and enduring solution to the clinical problem.