Esthetic and functional rehabilitation of bilateral congenital absence of maxillary lateral incisors: Minimally invasive surgical and prosthetic approach.

Abstract

Congenital absence of maxillary lateral incisors is a frequent clinical challenge which must be solved by a multidisciplinary approach in order to obtain an esthetic and functional restorative treatment. Noninvasive treatments, that are in accordance with the patients' expectations, should be the first therapeutic alternative. If the deciduous tooth is present, minimally invasive dental extraction followed by immediate dental implant placement and provisional restoration is indicated. In this restorative treatment, an adequate emergency profile can be achieved by peri-implant soft-tissue-conditioning techniques. Moreover, the association of restorative materials, such as composite resins and dental ceramics, provides more predictable esthetic results. The present case report presents a rehabilitation of bilateral congenital absence of maxillary lateral incisors through a multidisciplinary approach. Dental implants, long-term provisional restoration, tooth bleaching, minimally veneered high-translucent monolithic zirconia crowns, feldspathic veneers, and composite restorations were used by the dental team to achieve the expected functional and esthetic outcomes. Different treatment modalities are available for the rehabilitation of congenital absence of teeth. However, it is important that a dental team consider performing minimally invasive treatments, as many of these treatments are done on young patients. Patient-centered treatments involving minimally invasive approaches in a multidisciplinary environment would be appropriate in order to achieve predictable results.