Surgical Uprighting of Lower Second Molars.

VOLUME L NUMBER 1 © 2016 JCO, Inc. O correction of impacted lower second molars is challenging due to the limited access. Both nonsurgical1-6 and surgical7-15 treatment options have been reported. If the impacted molar is submerged deep below the soft tissue, surgical uprighting provides a safe and efficient solution with minimal tooth morbidity and a good long-term prognosis. Although the technique is most commonly applied to mesially angulated lower second molars, it can be used on other impacted teeth that have limited access or have failed to respond to standard bracket-and-chain methods. As early as 1956, Holland first discussed surgical repositioning, which he referred to as “surgical orthodontics”.16 Peskin and Graber,17 as well as Johnson and Quirk,15 thoroughly reviewed surgical uprighting of lower second molars in the early 1970s. In 1995, Pogrel presented a landmark clinical study involving long-term observation of 22 surgically uprighted lower second molars.18 NEAL D. KRAVITZ, DMD, MS MARK YANOSKY, DMD, MS JASON B. COPE, DDS, PhD KIMBERLY SILLOWAY, DDS MEHRDAD FAVAGEHI, DDS, MS Surgical Uprighting of Lower Second Molars OVERVIEW