Prosthetic considerations in the restoration of orthodontically treated maxillary lateral incisors to replace missing central incisors: A clinical report

The treatment of young patients with missing maxillary incisors poses a cha llenge to prosthodontists and orthodontists. The 2 principal treatment opti ons are (1) the reopening or maintenance of space for future autotransplant ation and/or prosthodontic restoration of the missing teeth, or (2) total o rthodontic space closure, followed by prosthodontic modification of the lat eral incisors to simulate the central incisors. This article discusses only the second option and describes 2 alternative methods for the modification of crown anatomy. These procedures facilitate the orthodontic closure of m issing central incisor spaces to ensure satisfactory esthetic results.