Management of a congenitally missing maxillary central incisor. A case study

When a maxillary lateral incisor is missing, often the treatment options can be clearly defined, that is, substitute an adjacent tooth for the missing one; open the space for an implant, a bonded bridge or fixed bridge. When a maxillary central incisor is missing and the space for the tooth is absent, the treatment choices become complicated, especially in a growing child. There must be multi-disciplinary coordination among the restorative dentist, the oral surgeon or periodontist, and the orthodontist to obtain the optimum result. At the initiation of treatment, this information must be relayed and the treatment plan agreed upon by the patient or the parents of the patient.