Methods: Four patients, who presented with extensive anterior alveolar ridge bone loss combined with the incisors and canines, underwent treatment according to a combined surgical orthodontic protocol, including presurgical orthodontic preparation and a preimplantation surgical augmentation stage involving vertical distractor insertion. During the active vertical alveolar distraction process, 3 TADs were inserted. Intraoral orthodontic elastics were attached to the main orthodontic archwire exerting multidirectional forces to control the vertical distraction vector. After 3 months of vector controlling and active bone molding, the TADs were removed.
Results: Anterior alveolar ridge augmentation using distraction osteogenesis was achieved. The application of TADs for best anterior segment curvature enabled dental implant insertion, best positioning and restoration.
Conclusions: A combined surgical orthodontic management protocol involving vertical alveolar distraction osteogenesis for augmentation purposes is an efficient treatment method to improve alveolar ridge volume and is the best architecture for the preimplantation stage.