Alveolar Bone Preservation Using an Orthodontic Mini-implant in an Adolescent Patient with Multiple Missing Teeth

Abstract

After tooth extraction, the alveolar ridge undergoes a series of structural changes, including the inevitable vertical and horizontal loss of alveolar bone. In this case, growth modification was performed on an 11-year-old patient with skeletal Class II malocclusion with multiple congenitally missing teeth and early loss of a deciduous tooth without succedaneous replacement using an intraoral orthopedic appliance. The space from the lost deciduous teeth was effectively maintained. At the age of 14 years, an orthodontic mini-implant with a diameter and length of 1.6 and 7 mm, respectively, was inserted into the alveolar bone to prevent additional alveolar bone resorption and maintain alveolar bone height until growth completion. At the age of 18 years, the second phase of orthodontic treatment was started to properly set the time of dental implant placement and the completion of orthodontic treatment. At the age of 19 years, the alveolar bone height was properly maintained until dental implant placement. The dental implant was successfully placed without additional vertical bone augmentation. Therefore, we successfully preserved the alveolar bone by inserting an orthodontic mini-implant into the site of early deciduous tooth loss without succedaneous replacement in an adolescent patient.