Lingual orthodontics and forced eruption: a means for osseous and tissue regeneration.

An hopeless upper central incisor was subjected to forced eruption in order to improve and develop the implant site by distraction of the periodontal ligament-alveolar bone complex. The orthodontic extrusion was carried out with two aesthetic approaches: lingual orthodontics and a composite resin 2-2 veneer pontic. The first part of the extrusion was realized with lingual orthodontics alone, then, when the crown had been remodelled in its greatest part and the aesthetics was no more acceptable to the patient a composite resin 2-2 veneer pontic was bonded to the vestibular side of the other three incisors to mimetise the extruded tooth and to be anchorage to the lingual mechanics. The orthodontic preparation of the implant site allowed the correction of the periodontal defect due to the fracture, the enhancement of the alveolar bone and the soft tissue remodelling.