Periodontal health and esthetic results in impacted teeth exposed by apically positioned flap technique.

OBJECTIVES This study evaluates the periodontal health status and the esthetic results of teeth subjected to orthodontic traction, after their exposure by an apically positioned flap. STUDY DESIGN Fifteen patients were included in the study, ages between 11 and 28 years old. The fenestrated teeth and their homologous contralateral normally erupted teeth, used as control, were evaluated. RESULTS Statistically significant differences were found in the position of the gingival margin (p = 0.005), with an average distance between cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) and gingival margin of 2.47 mm (SD 1.19) in control teeth and of 1 mm (SD 1.31) in the operated teeth, and in the depth of palatal probing (p = 0.031), with 2.1 mm (SD 0.9) for the experimental teeth and 1.7 mm (SD 0.8) for the control teeth. The gingival index, the bleeding during probing and the probing depth did not show statistically significant differences. The patient's subjective esthetic evaluation was more favorable for the control teeth in most of the cases. CONCLUSIONS The surgical approach for the impacted teeth by means of the apically positioned flap resulted to be a predictable technique allowing the maintenance of the periodontal health on a long-term basis.