Restoring esthetics using adjunctive orthodontics – Case reports

Pre-restorative orthodontic alignment has definite advantages especially in patients with mal-aligned dentition seeking prosthetic rehabilitation. As adult orthodontics has gained popularity, orthodontic practices have seen a change in the patient population they encounter on a day-to-day basis. From completely dentulous adolescents, this population has widened to encompass adult dentitions with worn or abraded teeth, peg-shaped lateral incisors, fractured teeth, gummy smiles, multiple edentulous spaces, or other restorative needs that often require tooth positioning that is slightly different from non restored, nonabraded, adolescent teeth. In such instances, an interdisciplinary approach is necessary to evaluate, diagnose, and resolve esthetic problems using a combination of orthodontic, periodontic, endodontic and prosthodontic treatments. The aim of the article is to emphasize the importance of adjunctive orthodontics in such interdisciplinary treatment protocols, through two case reports.