Anterior Segmental Osteotomy to Save Implants for Prosthetic Restoration: A Multidisciplinary Case Report

Titanium root form dental implants are among the major advances modern dentistry can offer patients. Occasionally, in spite of all precautions and best operator intentions, implants are inadvertently placed in positions that do not permit their use for high-quality esthetic dental restorations. Salvaging these implants to permit their use is a challenge for practitioners. Such a situation came to our attention in 2012 after two anterior implants placed in 2009 were found to be in unusable positions. A plan to remove the implants, regraft the area and-after a considerable waiting period-replace the implants in a more "proper" position was considered. Instead, by combining oral/maxillofacial surgical techniques developed for reconstruction of severe dentofacial deformities with newer clinical and laboratory techniques for crown fabrication, the problem was corrected for the patient with a minimum of lost time. And an esthetically pleasing result that more than satisfied our patient was achieved.