Placing Dental Implants through Impacted Teeth to Support a Fixed Partial Denture in a Geriatric Patient as an Alternative to Invasive Extraction Surgeries

Abstract

Multiple dental impactions not associated with craniofacial syndromes are a rare condition and present the dentist with a therapeutic challenge when it comes to performing surgical/restorative treatments in adult patients. This case report describes a geriatric patient with multiple impacted teeth restored by means of two different protocols. In the second quadrant, an impacted tooth was extracted followed by regeneration and placement of an implant. In the third quadrant, implants were placed though impacted teeth for restoration with a fixed partial prosthesis. Placing dental implants through impacted teeth may offer a possible therapeutic option for implant-supported restorations in middle-aged or elderly patients, for whom surgery and orthodontic traction are not possible, and/or patients who refuse to undergo more invasive extraction surgery.

Inappropriate Protocol of Implant Placement in Contact with Impacted Teeth Leading to Failure

“…For this reason, anchoring the implant in the impacted teeth is an alternative strategy more acceptable to the patient. This approach attempts to simplify the surgical phase, shorten treatment time, and improve esthetic outcomes since the impacted crowns provide better support for soft tissues [ 14 ].…”

Decision-Making Criteria of Odontectomy or Surgical Exposure in Impacted Maxillary Canine Based on Treatment Difficulty Index Modification

“…23,24 According to the findings of this study, the higher the difficulty index score of an impacted tooth location, the more difficult it is to align that tooth. 21,25 If the canines' prognosis was good in all areas, the primary canine could be extracted to allow the affected canine to spontaneously erupt. If the canine does not erupt within a year, orthodontic therapy including surgical exposure and alignment may be necessary.…”