A Patient With Severe Maxillary Gingival Exposure Treated With Combined Compression Osteogenesis of the Anterior Alveolar Bone and Conventional Le Fort I Osteotomy

Abstract

Excessive gingival exposure at the maxillary anterior region during not only smiling (a gummy face) but also at rest creates both functional and aesthetic problems for patients.We herein introduce a unique treatment procedure for mandibular retrognathia with a gummy face. This procedure combines conventional Le Fort I osteotomy and following corticotomy at the anterior region of the maxilla. Subsequently, the anterior segment is continuously compressed (compression osteogenesis) in a posterior-superior direction until it reaches an ideal position. This procedure appears to safely and adequately resolve both the aesthetic and functional complaints associated with patients with a gummy face.

Skeletal open bite with amelogenesis imperfecta treated with compression osteogenesis: a case report

“…With the corticotomy procedure, bone can be augmented, thereby preventing periodontal defects, which may appear in cases with thin alveolar bone. No postoperative complications were reported [6, 12].…”