Transplantation of cryopreserved teeth: a systematic review

The aim of this article was to examine the research articles regarding biological and mechanical properties of cryopreserved teeth for potential use in tooth transplantation. A systematic review of literatures was performed by Pubmed searching with assigned key words from January 1, 1990 to June 8, 2009. All articles were examined for inclusion criteria. Secondary search was conducted by hand-search through references of included articles from primary search. A total of 24 articles were obtained from both primary and secondary search and used as fundamental articles in this review. Periodontal ligament tissues of cryopreserved teeth were able to maintain their biological properties resulted in a satisfactory healing of periodontium. Dental pulp tissues, however, may be compromised by limitation of permeability of cryopreservative agent into pulp cavity. Therefore, an endodontic treatment of transplanted cryopreserved teeth was recommended. Cryopreserved teeth had comparable mechanical properties to those of normal teeth. Importantly, the success of cryopreserved tooth transplantation treatment in orthodontic patients was reported. The cryopreserved teeth for tooth banking have a potential clinical application for treatment of missing teeth. Case selection, however, is critical for treatment success. More studies and data regarding masticatory function and periodontal healing of transplanted cryopreserved teeth are needed.