Use of a Miniplate for Skeletal Anchorage in the Forced Eruption of a Severely Impacted Mandibular Second Molar: Case Report

ABSTRACT

Tooth impaction represents the stop of eruption by clinical and radiographical disturbance in eruption path or the dislocation of tooth germ. The most common factor in tooth eruption disorders are spacial deficiency with other causes reported to be odontogenic tumors, periodontal ligament injury, etc. Impaction of the mandibular second molar is relatively rare and reported in about 3 out of 1,000 people. Because the second molars tend to erupt in a mesial direction, this situation can lead to serious problems if untreated, including dental caries, periodontal disease and root resorption of the first molar. Treatment of this problem includes, surgical repositioning and orthodontic forced eruption. Because each procedure have the definite advantages and disadvantages, and influenced by circumferential environment, these have limits for successful recovery as independent treatment. In a case at St. Mary's Hospital, we performed successful correction of a horizontal impacted mandibular second molar using a miniplate skeletal anchorage system. We introduce this treatment as a valid method for an impacted second molar and consider a oromaxillofacial surgeon's role in tooth movement treatment.