Relocation of a malpositioned maxillary implant with piezoelectric osteotomies: a case report

Implant relocation is a new surgical technique for correcting the alignment of malpositioned implants by mobilizing them with the surrounding bone until the desired position is achieved. In this case report, a 25-year-old woman was treated for the malposition of an implant in the maxillary left canine site. The use of a piezoelectric scalpel permits narrow, precise, and safe osteotomies, thus preventing involvement of the soft tissue and producing better healing potential compared to burs or saws. The results suggest that inadequately axially inclined implants can be successfully reconfigured using segmental piezoelectric osteotomies.