Interim use of a maxillary lip bumper during interdisciplinary management of ectopically erupted incisor teeth

Abstract

Introduction: Ectopic eruption, manifesting as an aberration in the normal path of eruption of a tooth, can adversely impact facial aesthetics, phonetics and psychosocial development. Description: This case series describes the orthodontic management of two adolescent patients with different clinical presentations of ectopically erupted maxillary central incisors secondary to trauma during the primary dentition period. The therapy primarily included periodontal soft-tissue surgery accompanied by orthodontic traction to align the ectopic incisors. Frenectomy was performed in one patient and surgical excision of a hypertrophied pseudo-pouch in the second patient. A modified maxillary lip bumper was used concomitantly for management of associated soft-tissue trauma, thus facilitating healing and aiding orthodontic traction. Results: Appropriately planned interdisciplinary management involving the interim use of a modified lip bumper allowed proper alignment of the ectopically positioned incisors with a stable outcome at three-year follow-up. Conclusion: Fixed orthodontic therapy with concurrent use of modified maxillary lip bumper is an effective approach to treat incisors erupted ectopically in relation to the upper lip and frenum.