Abstract
ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to perform a radiographic follow-up evaluation after a 12-month healing period, following crown lengthening surgery.Material and methodsTwenty-three periodontally healthy subjects (mean age 32.5 years) that required crown lengthening surgery in premolars were recruited. In a total of 30 premolars, full thickness flaps, osseous resection, and flap suturing were performed. The restorative margin was defined in the pre-surgical phase and maintained unaltered during the healing period, serving as a reference point. Standardized bitewing radiographs were taken before and after osseous reduction, and at 2, 3, 6, and 12-month healing periods.ResultsIntact lamina dura was observed at both mesial and distal alveolar crests only from the 3rd month. At 12-months, all alveolar crests presented lamina dura. The overall mean distance from the restorative margin to the alveolar crest achieved after osseous resection was 3.28±0.87 mm at mesial and 2.81±0.51 mm at distal sites. No significant radiographic changes in the bone crest were observed during a 12-month healing period.ConclusionThe findings of this study suggest that the radiographic proximal bone level observed on bitewing radiographs following crown lengthening surgery can be used as a reference to predict the future level of the healed alveolar crest.
Highlights
Surgical crown lengthening is a routinely performed treatment[3,8,10,11,15], but little is known about the radiographic changes in the alveolar bone crest over time
The purpose of the present study was to make a further assessment of alterations in the proximal alveolar crest over a 12-month healing period from the post-osteotomy osseous level established in surgical crown lengthening
No intact lamina dura was observed at the M and D alveolar crests at the 2-month period (Table 1)
Summary
Surgical crown lengthening is a routinely performed treatment[3,8,10,11,15], but little is known about the radiographic changes in the alveolar bone crest over time. Crown lengthening involves the surgical removal of hard and soft periodontal tissues to gain supracrestal tooth length, allowing longer clinical crowns[8] and reestablishment of the biologic width[5,8]. Microscopic evidences indicated more bone loss and less bone repair occurred in the thin alveolar bone specimens. Maximum bone repair and almost complete anatomic restoration of the operated bone would be achieved if the preoperative bone was the thick cancellous type with many marrow spaces
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