Abstract :

Absence of lateral incisors is common among the general public. And when it comes to decide which treatment option is the best for our patients, we need to know the clinical aspects that leads us to decide whether we need to open the space for an implant, or go for dental substitution, that is, move the cuspid to the space of the lateral, and first bicuspid to the cuspid area, and so on, reshaping the teeth and placing them in their new position. In both options, the goal is to achieve the best functional en esthetic result. This lecture shows clinical cases for both options with long term follow up.

Learning objectives :

• Identify the clinical aspects that lead us to either open space for an implant in the absent upper lateral incisor or opt for teeth substitution.
• Highlight the role of multidisciplinary work in both options of treatment.
• Get to know the literature from the orthodontic point of view, as well as general dentistry and other specialties that support both options of treatment.