Autotransplantation of teeth in cases with agenesis or traumatic loss of maxillary incisors.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognosis of 50 consecutively autotransplanted teeth to the maxillary incisor region. Thirty-five were transplanted in cases of traumatic injuries, eleven in cases of agenesis and four in cases with impaction of maxillary canines. The average follow-up time was 7 years and 6 months (range 4-17 years). The transplants were examined clinically in respect of tooth vitality and radiographically in respect of root canal obliteration, periradicular changes, root formation, and root length. The results show a success rate of 82 per cent. It is concluded that the procedure of tooth transplantation has the advantage of maintaining or restoring alveolar bone volume and gives the opportunity to replace a missing tooth without involvement of neighbouring teeth as prosthetic abutments.