Does Root Development Status Affect the Outcome of Tooth Autotransplantation? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral Surgery
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Tooth autotransplantation involves surgically moving a tooth to a new site within the same individual.
• This procedure is a viable alternative for tooth replacement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the outcomes of tooth autotransplantation using immature (open-apex) versus mature (closed-apex) donor teeth.
• To analyze the influence of donor tooth position on treatment success.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review and meta-analysis of human prospective clinical studies published between 1978 and March 2021.
• Included studies had a minimum of 10 patients and 1-year follow-up, reporting survival, success, and root resorption rates.
• Random effects meta-analysis was used to estimate survival, success, and resorption rates for open- and closed-apex groups.

Main Results:

• Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria.
• Overall survival and success rates were 95.9% and 89.4%, respectively, with a mean follow-up of 4 years.
• Closed-apex teeth had a 3.9% lower survival rate and higher complication rates (inflammatory external root resorption, replacement root resorption) than open-apex teeth, though not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

• Tooth autotransplantation is a successful treatment option with high survival and success rates.
• Open-apex donor teeth are preferable due to lower complication rates, suggesting they are the gold standard.
• Further randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm long-term prognosis.