Ridge Preservation Strategies in Children Following Anterior Tooth Trauma

The sequelae associated with anterior oral trauma during childhood growth may require a protracted period of clinical management to achieve an optimal foundation for future prosthetic therapy. This article presents two case examples of long-term ridge development and preservation in children after anterior dental and alveolar trauma. These two patients were managed for periods of 11 years, one from age 8 to 19 and the other from age 9 to 20, until they were old enough to receive implantsupported restorations. Two different treatment plans were prescribed based on whether or not the teeth in question were ankylosed. In one case, fractured roots that were not ankylosed were retained; in the other, decoronation of an ankylosed tooth was performed.