TUNNEL TRACTION OF INFRAOSSEOUS IMPACTED MAXILLARY CANINES - A 3-YEARPERIODONTAL FOLLOW-UP

A surgical orthodontic procedure was used to treat deep infraosseous i mpacted canines (test teeth) associated with the persistence of the de ciduous tooth in 15 patients who had the contralateral canine normally erupted (control teeth). The periodontal outcome was evaluated at the end of the orthodontic treatment and 3 years later. After extraction of the deciduous canine, a mucoperiosteal flap was raised on the bucca l (seven cases) or palatal (eight cases) aspect, to expose the cusp of the impacted tooth. The empty socket of the deciduous tooth was exten ded to reach the impacted cusp and to form an osseous tunnel. A chain was passed through the tunnel and fixed to a bonded device on the impa cted cusp. The flap was sutured back into its original position. The c hain was used for traction to the impacted canine toward the center of the alveolar ridge. No attachment loss and no recession were observed at the end of the active therapy or 3 years later. No significant dif ferences in keratinized tissue width were observed between test and co ntrol teeth at the follow-up examination.