An adult bimaxillary protrusion treated with corticotomy-facilitated orthodontics and titanium miniplates

We performed an orthodontic treatment combined with corticotomy and the placement of titanium miniplates in an adult patient who desired a shortened treatment period. The patient had an Angle Class I malocclusion with flaring of the maxillary and mandibular incisors. First, titanium miniplates were placed into the buccal alveolar bone of the maxilla for absolute orthodontic anchorage. Second, an edgewise appliance was applied to the maxillary and mandibular teeth. Then, the maxillary first premolars and mandibular second premolars were extracted. At the same time, a corticotomy was performed on the cortical bone of the lingual and buccal sides in the maxillary anterior as well as the mandibular anterior and posterior regions. Leveling was initiated immediately after the corticotomy. The extraction spaces were closed with conventional orthodontic force (approximately 1 N per side). The edgewise appliance was adjusted once every 2 weeks. The total treatment time was 1 year. Cephalometric superimpositions showed no anchorage loss, and panoramic radiographs showed neither significant reduction in the crest bone height nor marked apical root resorption. A corticotomy-facilitated orthodontic treatment with titanium miniplates might shorten an orthodontic treatment period without any anchorage loss or adverse effects.