Traction of an impacted maxillary canine with corticotomy in a 53-year-old patient: Case report

The viability of orthodontic traction of impacted teeth in adults is often questioned by a large percentage of orthodontists who would rather consider the extraction of these teeth. Although possible, orthodontic traction of impacted canines in adults takes longer than in younger patients, present a poorer prognosis that worsens with age. Because of the prevalence of periodontitis in adults versus children, periodontal inflammation must be identified and resolved in order to keep attachment loss from progressing during orthodontic care. Likewise mucogingival changes need to be predicted and managed. This article reports a successful case of impacted maxillary right canine traction in an adult female, associated with alveolar corticotomies and the use of skeletal anchorage. At the end of treatment, the canine was ideally positioned in the occlusion, presenting excellent esthetics, function, and healthy periodontal tissues.