Rehabilitation of esthetics in advanced periodontal cases using orthodontics for vertical hard and soft tissue regeneration prior to implants - a report of 2 challenging cases treated with an interdisciplinary approach.

Abstract

The esthetic rehabilitation of advanced periodontal cases remains a challenge, despite the numerous advances in treatment of periodontitis and regenerative therapies. Whilst understanding of periodontal diseases deepens with advances in cell biology, cell signaling, and genomic research, the restoration of the gingival tissues to anatomical norms remains a considerable challenge in advanced cases. The improvements in diagnosis and treatment of disease certainly enable successful management of disease and stabilization of the compromised and failing dentition. Nonetheless, effective "esthetic" rehabilitation of patients with advanced disease affecting teeth in the esthetic zone, where significant asymmetrical bone loss and tissue recession are present, still constitutes a significant dilemma. An interdisciplinary approach involving vertical augmentation of bone and soft tissues by means of orthodontic extrusion of severely compromised periodontally involved teeth to reconstitute esthetics, as well as ideal bone and soft tissue volume prior to immediate implant placement and restoration, may be a particularly useful treatment option in patients suffering advanced periodontal disease with asymmetrical bone and tissue loss in the esthetic zone. This paper discusses the concepts and illustrates its use in two complex and demanding cases.