Bone regeneration after surgical repositioning of impacted mandibular second molars: a case report

Abstract  – A case is presented where the mesially impacted mandibular second molar teeth were surgically uprighted in an 11-year-old female patient. Bone regeneration is shown in the areas occupied by the impacted second molars with maturation of bone and cortication of the crest of the alveolar bone. The probing depths are also normal with no residual bony defects. This healing was achieved with no bone grafting procedure, emphasizing two important factors: to prevent/minimize any trauma to the tissues at the site of elevation and uprighting of the tooth (i.e. maintaining viable periodontal ligament cells and minimal cementum damage); and to obtain primary closure whilst allowing the tissue in the mesial defect to reorganize against the scaffold of bone. However, the procedure on the one side was complicated with necrosis and infection of the pulp space with external inflammatory root resorption. Endodontic therapy of this tooth proved to be successful with periradicular healing radiographically and re-establishment of the lamina dura. At the 3-year follow-up, the endodontically treated tooth showed no clinical and radiographic signs of pathology. The left second mandibular molar had no pulpal or periodontal postsurgical complications, which may be attributed to apparently more open apices allowing for pulp revascularization after manipulation at the time of surgery. This report illustrates unassisted wound healing that occurs in the area of uprighting with complete reconstitution of periodontal anatomy without additional regenerative procedures to augment bone.