Treatment of facial asymmetry and severe midline deviation with orthodontic mini-implants.

Abstract

This case report describes the treatment of a 29-year-old woman with facial asymmetry and 2 hopeless teeth. Her lower dental midline was shifted to the left side, and the mandibular left second\xa0molar would need to be extracted because of severe caries. The maxillary right second premolar was root rest, and the upper dental midline was shifted to the right side. Because of the patient s asymmetry and Class III skeletal pattern, a severe Class III relationship in the right canine region and lingual crossbite in the left side was observed. She did not want jaw surgery. The mandibular right first premolar, 2 hopeless teeth, and maxillary left second premolar were extracted, and orthodontic mini-implants were used to correct the dental midline, crossbite, and crowding. The mandibular left third molar was moved to the second\xa0molar extraction space by using orthodontic mini-implant anchorage. Adequate functional and esthetic results were obtained. Correction of the crossbite on the left side could improve facial asymmetry by changing the drape of the overlying lips.