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Spontaneous tooth eruption after alveolar cleft osteoplasty using tissue-engineered bone: a case report
Winnie Pradel1, Eve Tausche, James Gollogly
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Summary
Tissue-engineered bone successfully bridged alveolar clefts in a patient with cleft lip and palate. This innovative graft facilitated spontaneous canine tooth eruption, demonstrating functional bone regeneration.
Area of Science:
- Regenerative Medicine
- Biomaterials Science
- Craniofacial Surgery
Background:
- Alveolar bone grafting is crucial for patients with cleft lip and palate to enable canine tooth eruption.
- Current methods often use autogenous bone, but biomaterials with osteogenic cells are emerging.
- Functional proof for spontaneous tooth eruption after such grafting has been lacking.
Observation:
- A 10-year-old boy with cleft lip and palate received a tissue-engineered bone graft in the alveolar cleft.
- Postoperative healing was uneventful.
- Radiographic and clinical assessments were performed over 18 months.
Findings:
- The tissue-engineered bone graft successfully ossified the alveolar cleft.
- Within 8 months, erupting teeth began moving into the regenerated bone.
- By 18 months, the canine tooth erupted spontaneously in its correct position.
Implications:
- Tissue-engineered bone shows potential as a viable alternative to autogenous bone for alveolar cleft repair.
- This technique supports not only bone ossification but also the complex process of physiologic tooth eruption.
- Further research could validate this approach for broader clinical application in pediatric craniofacial reconstruction.
