New Surgical Technique and Distraction Osteogenesis for Ankylosed Dental Movement

Dental ankylosis often presents a significant vertical alveolar defect that is an esthetic problem for prosthetic rehabilitation. Moreover, surgical-orthodontic treatment by corticotomies and distraction devices provides special attention to avoid the loss of blood supply to the segment; furthermore, gingival recessions may appear because the gingival tissues cannot proliferate as fast as the immediate repositioning of the tooth. This case report presents a surgical technique for buccal, palatal, and vertical movements, and examines the effects of a tooth/arch-borne tooth distractor appliance, for the alignment of ankylosed teeth. The slow movements of tooth and bone block and fine cut simplifies orthodontic treatment in patients and makes it possible to achieve complex movements in a relatively short period. The reported dislocation procedure allows a use of buccal-lingual vertical osteotomy with horizontal osteotomy to correct tooth positions via bony block movement maintaining gingival tissues in position. The used sonic saw have proven to be a valuable alternative to manual or rotating tools, oscillating saws, or piezoelectric units because it is faster and easier for surgical approach.