Impacted upper central incisor traction with removable appliance: two clinical case reports

Abstract

An impacted tooth is defined as the one that presents, radiographically, two thirds of its root developed and doesn’t erupt naturally. When this condition is established in the anterior region, compromises the aesthetic appearance of the child, concerning the parents and encouraging the search for orthodontic treatment. The treatment can be done using different types of appliances, fixed or removable. Objective: the aim of this study was to report two clinical cases of impacted upper central incisor, which were treated using a removable appliance in the Orthodontic Department of the Faculty of Dentitry at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. Case report: In both cases, the patients were male, in the mixed dentition and their chief complain was the absence of the central incisor. The treatment was performed through traction of the impacted incisors in both reported cases. The traction of the incisors was done using an upper removable appliance with a modified Hawley arch which was used to support the intermaxillary elastics that applied a force to extrude the incisors. Conclusion: the treatment for tooth impaction with traction supported by a removable appliance was successful, and as any kind of treatment has advantages and disadvantages. It is the duty of the general practitioner to select the best type of appliance for the case considering the particular characterists of each patient.