[ AUTOLOGOUS TRANSPLANTATION OF TEETH]

During tooth root development, when half to two-thirds root development is completed, teeth can be transplanted, remain alive and grow normally. This can also be considered with mature teeth. However, the process will render the transplanted tooth non-vital requiring a root canal. There are situations in eruption of the permanent dentition where permanent teeth are either delayed in eruption by baby teeth which do not exfoliate as scheduled or the erupting teeth are deflected in an abnormal direction. If it is essential to save the impacted tooth, after adequate space is available or made available, a socket can be prepared and the impacted tooth placed into position. The transplanted tooth must be stabilized with wires to allow for it to attach to the bone. This procedure can also be used to replace non-restorable diseased or missing jaw teeth using otherwise useless wisdom teeth or extra teeth called supernumerary teeth.

This procedure is almost a “can’t lose” situation. In order to consider the transplant, there should not be any other way to save the impacted tooth. If it can’t be orthodontically repositioned the impacted tooth must be removed.. The use of wisdom teeth or extra teeth is even less of a problem because they are at some time going to have to be removed as well. Transplantation utilizes otherwise useless teeth which are going to have to be discarded. The worst-case-scenario with this procedure would be the transplant doesn’t work and you lose the transplanted tooth. In that scenario, the transplanted tooth which was lost would have been removed anyway and you are no worse off as result of the failure. You can still utilize other replacement options. If the transplant works, you have the most esthetic result possible, the tooth which was intended for that location. There can never be a better replacement functionally or esthetically than a real tooth. Transplantation of teeth is usually cheaper than prosthetic replacement and lengthy orthodontic treatment. Transplantation of teeth is highly successful when attempted by an experienced surgeon. Our doctor is one of the few in our state with extensive experience in dental transplantation.

There are definite “windows of opportunity” in consideration of tooth transplantation. Our doctor will be able to determine whether you are a candidate for this procedure.