[Physiological tooth migration in hydroxyapatite grafts with bony regeneration. Animal study]

Tooth migration into jaw segments where granular hydroxy apatite had been implanted was studied in rats. To prevent premature contact with the ceramic granules, tooth germs were completely removed in the animals at the age of 10 days. Tooth root contact with the ceramo-osseous complex as a result of physiological tooth migration had deleterious effects. In the light of these findings the implantation of granular hydroxy apatite in the vicinity of tooth roots is not advisable.