Intrusion of migrated incisors with infrabony defects in adult periodontal patients.

This report describes the orthodontic treatment of 10 adult patients who had severe periodontal disease, with migration and radiological evidence of an infrabony defect on a maxillary central incisor. Orthodontic tooth movement, using light and continuous forces, was initiated 7 to 10 days after periodontal surgical therapy. Mean orthodontic treatment time was 10 months. Before surgery and at the end of orthodontic treatment, the following parameters were registered clinically and with standardized intraoral radiographs: probing depth, clinical crown length, marginal bone level, bone defect radiological dimension, and root length. Comparison of pre- and posttreatment values showed a statistically significant improvement for all parameters without a remarkable decrease of root length. The mean residual probing depth was 2.80 mm, and the mean intrusion of the incisors was 2.05 mm. Moreover, radiographs showed a reduction of the infrabony defects. These results show the efficacy of a combined orthodontic-periodontal approach. Intrusive movement, after proper periodontal surgical therapy, can positively modify both the alveolar bone and the soft periodontal tissues.