Surgical extrusion of completely impacted mandibular second molars: A technical case report with 3 years clinical and radiographic follow-up

Impaction of permanent teeth is a relatively common occurrence that requires treatment to allow occlusal recovery, prevent pericoronitis, and decrease the risk of caries and periodontal disease. We report the case of a 32-year-old Japanese woman presenting with missing first and completely impacted second and third mandibular molars. The patient refused to undergo any prolonged orthodontic therapy; therefore, surgical extrusion of the impacted second mandibular molar was considered as the treatment measure. Follow-up examination 3 years after surgery revealed no radiographic or clinical signs of root resorption, marginal bone loss, or periodontal disease, and the extruded second molar was found to be stable with good occlusion. The favorable results observed in this case suggest that one-step surgical extrusion is an alternative treatment option for completely impacted mandibular second molars.