Intrusion of overerupted molars by corticotomy and orthodontic skeletal anchorage

This article describes the orthodontic treatment of a 26-year-old female patient with overerupted left maxillary molar teeth. Her chief complaint was that the maxillary left first and the second molar intruded into the space required for the mandibular left first and the second molars, preventing prosthodontic treatment. The authors performed a corticotomy and used orthodontic skeletal anchorage with a miniplate and orthodontic miniscrews with a head modified to provide a specially designed hook. With this approach, they were able to achieve a sufficient amount of molar intrusion without discomfort, root resorption, or extrusion of the adjacent teeth. The first molar was intruded 3.0 mm and second molar was intruded 3.5 mm during 2 months of treatment. These results have been maintained for 11 months.