Distraction osteogenesis and orthodontic therapy in the treatment of malpositioned osseointegrated implants: a case...

Resorption of the residual alveolar ridge often hinders ideal implant placement. In some cases, vertical bone loss causes the implant to be positioned more apically, resulting in aesthetic and biomechanical complications, as well as elongated clinical crowns as the outcome of treatment. This case presentation demonstrates a surgical technique that allows the use of distraction osteogenesis in combination with conventional orthodontic treatment to three-dimensionally reposition an implant-bony segment into a more favorable aesthetic and biomechanical position, thus improving the crown-to-implant ratio and leveling the gingival contours with those of the adjacent teeth.