title: Development of gingiva following surgical exposure of a facially positioned unerupted incisor.
abstract: A case with a facially positioned, unerupted maxillary incisor is presented as an illustration of the potential of the periodontal tissues to establish a zone of gingiva following surgical intervention. Despite the fact that the tooth had an erupting position entirely within the area of the alveolar mucosa, a zone of keratinized gingiva developed following surgical exposure of the crown of the tooth. This healing potential should be considered when selecting the treatment for facially positioned, unerupted teeth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics, Public Dental Service, Falun, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lundberg
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wennström
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005881:Gingiva / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000601:surgery*; D014078:Tooth Eruption; D014097:Tooth, Unerupted / Q000601:surgery*; D014945:Wound Healing