Abstract
Loss of permanent maxillary incisor causes a significant esthetic problem, and there are various treatment options for rehabilitation. Moving the contralateral tooth across the facial midline for substitution of missing tooth is a possible treatment alternative for closing the maxillary anterior space.
This report presents an unusual treatment for a bimaxillary protrusion patient who typically requires premolar extraction to improve the convex profile. However, due to multiple missing anterior teeth, the left maxillary central incisor was moved across the facial midline to substitute the absent contralateral tooth, resulting in an improved profile after treatment.
The case was an 18-year-old female who suffered a motorcycle accident and complained of missing anterior teeth due to trauma. Intraoral examination revealed crown fractures of both maxillary central incisors and the absence of the right maxillary lateral incisor and canine. The treatment plan was to close the space left by the extracted right maxillary central incisor orthodontically by moving the left maxillary central incisor across the facial midline to substitute for the missing tooth, preserve the space for the missing right maxillary lateral incisor to be reconstructed with a dental implant, and substitute the bilateral canines with first premolars.
The left maxillary central incisor was successfully moved to the contralateral side with no obvious detrimental effects, as observed on the final radiographs. Long-term follow-up proves that it is possible to move a maxillary central incisor across the facial midline in an adult patient, achieving satisfactory morphology, esthetics, and stability.
Recommended Citation
Huang, Ling-Yu; Kuo, Chun-Liang; Yang, Chun-Hsiu; and Liu, Ting-Wei
(2025)
"Moving a Maxillary Incisor Across the Midline for Substitution of Contralateral Missing Incisor in a Multiple Anterior Teeth Missing Patient,"
Taiwanese Journal of Orthodontics: Vol. 36:
Iss.
4, Article 3.
https://doi.org/10.38209/2708-2636.1368
Available at:
https://www.tjo.org.tw/tjo/vol36/iss4/3
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