Guided autotransplant of a first premolar to replace a maxillary ankylosed incisor using a custom-designed osteotome

Autotransplantation is a highly successful technique to replace ankylosed teeth. The authors propose a modified therapeutic approach to guide the autotransplant of an immature maxillary premolar using a tooth-shaped osteotome.

A 9-year-old boy reported an avulsion of his maxillary permanent left central incisor with a delayed replantation. An autotransplant of the immature maxillary right first premolar into the position of the affected tooth was planned. A surgical 3-dimensional guiding template and a tooth-shaped osteotome were manufactured to prepare the neo-alveolus (referring to the creation or modification of an alveolus to house the tooth) modification. Although the donor tooth was placed in the recipient socket with the buccal side of the root fully exposed, the transplant outcome was successful.

The use of 3-dimensionally designed surgical osteotome could improve accuracy and surgical handling of a donor tooth autotransplant, even with substantial bone defects in the recipient site.