Forced eruption and implant site development: soft tissue response

The increased use of implants in orthodontics has stimulated interest in augmenting bone in patients who have deficient alveolar ridges that preclude ideal implant placement. A nonsurgical technique for increasing the amount of available bone for implant site development and fixture placement is orthodontic extrusion, or forced eruption. The concept of a tooth moving coronally by orthodontic means and the clinical alterations in the soft tissue architecture of the periodontium demonstrated during orthodontic extrusive movement of periodontally compromised teeth have demonstrated a direct relationship of pocket depth reduction, accompanied with an immature appearing tissue, "the red patch." This article will describe the periodontium during eruptive tooth movement.