Sequential piezocision: a novel approach to accelerated orthodontic treatment

Piezocision-assisted orthodontic treatment is an innovative, minimally invasive surgical technique designed to help achieve rapid orthodontic tooth movement. Microsurgical interproximal openings are made in the buccal gingivae to let the piezoelectric knife create the bone injury that will lead to transient demineralization and subsequent accelerated tooth movement. When this procedure was first described, cuts were made simultaneously at the maxilla and the mandible. In recent years, the technique has evolved to a more staged approach, with selected areas or segments of the arch demineralized at different times during orthodontic treatment to help achieve specific results. The purpose of this article was to report the use of sequential piezocision in the correction of a Class III malocclusion, in a total treatment time of 8 months.