[Decoronation: indications and treatment timing]

Dental trauma in children is a frequent event and may involve functional, esthetic and orthodontic complications. Replacement resorption and ankylosis are frequently diagnosed following avulsion and replantation, severe intrusive luxation, and less frequently as a consequence of lateral luxations and root fractures. The optimal treatment for an ankylotic permanent incisor is yet to be found. The treatment of ankylosis and replacement resorption of a permanent incisor following dental trauma is further complicated when it involves a growing child. It is often associated with increasing infraposition of the tooth, retarded growth of the alveolar bone and tilting of adjacent teeth. To avoid such complications an ankylosed tooth should be removed before they changes become so pronounced that they necessitate orthodontic intervention and compromise future prosthetic treatment. The purpose of this article is to review the literature dealing with the considerations involved in the treatment of a permanent incisor diagnosed with replacement resorption and ankylosis. Different treatment options are considered. Decoronation is described and discussed.