Treatment of facial asymmetry with microimplants

Microimplants have been used in many areas of orthodontics since their inception. In growing patients, asymmetric functional appliances can alleviate facial asymmetry by growth modification; however, the tooth movement initiated by the appliance may block further correction of the facial asymmetry. Posterior crossbite in growing children can cause lateral deviation of the mandible which can result in facial asymmetry with growth or asymmetrical growth of the mandible or distortion of the mandible by unilateral mastication. Mild facial asymmetry is frequently observed in dental clinics. Treatment includes intrusion of the maxillary posterior teeth on the non-deviated side and extrusion of the maxillary posterior teeth on the deviated side. The treatment of facial asymmetry after the completion of growth requires orthognathic surgery in most cases. The dental compensation in facial asymmetry patients consists of a transverse cant of the occlusal plane and a variation in the inclination of the teeth.