Case reports of orthodontic treatment of maxillary central incisors with short roots

Maxillary central incisors with short roots are occasionally encountered during orthodontic diagnosis. From an esthetic point of view, the central incisors occupy the most noticeable position in the maxillary and mandibular arches, and whether or not to extract them marks a major turning point in the planning of orthodontic treatment. In deciding a treatment strategy in this situation, there are two options to be considered: 1) treatment without extraction due to esthetic considerations; or 2) extraction, taking risk and prognosis into account. Whichever strategy is adopted, however, it will still be necessary to bear in mind that the treatment and prognosis will differ from that in normal orthodontic treatment. If no extraction is to be carried out, care must be taken that no further shortening occurs during the course of active treatment and that stable retention is preserved. On the other hand, if the central incisors are to be extracted, care must be taken to ensure that this has no negative esthetic impact, either during or after orthodontic treatment.