Orthodontic and prosthetic rehabilitation of unilateral free-end edentulous space

Most patients prefer fixed dentures, even in the presence of uni and bilateral free-end saddle. The most suitable treatment for this is an implant or implant-supported prosthetic restoration. A combined prosthetic and orthodontic treatment with distalization of a posterior tooth towards the edentulous region is an alternative approach. This study involved a 34.3 year old female patient who had a free-end edentulous space on the left mandibula and missing 1st and 3rd molars on the right mandibula. The patient was offered both a removable partial denture and implant treatment options. A detailed explanation of her situation and suitable treatments were given but she refused both options. Therefore, an alternative combined treatment involving prosthodontic and orthodontic disciplines was performed. The second premolar tooth was distalized orthodontically and used as a distal bridge abutment. After 65 months, prosthetic restoration was functional and abutment teeth and periodontium were pathology free, and the patient was satisfied with the results.