Surgically Facilitated Orthodontics in an Adult Orthodontic Patient- A Case Report

An increased number of adult individuals are seeking orthodontic treatment due to improved awareness of dental esthetics and function. Adult patients present with unique challenges for the orthodontist such as extensive restorative work, missing teeth, thin alveolar bone, and bone loss. Additionally, they demand efficiency in scheduling and speedy treatment. Periodontally accelerated osteogenic orthodontics (PAOO) or surgically facilitated orthodontics (SFO) is a surgical procedure to accelerate orthodontic tooth movement and minimize the resultant periodontal complications. It works by applying a series of vertical cuts in the cortical part of the alveolar bone and applying bone graft to the area. The resultant inflammation accelerates bone turnover and the resultant orthodontic tooth movement. The corticotomy along with bone graft is believed to improve alveolar bone thickness, expanding the range of orthodontic tooth movements. Though the effects of SFO are documented in terms of tooth movement, in this case report we present the benefits of SFO on alveolar bone height and width with the use of CBCT, along with timing of orthodontic treatment and tooth movement.