Vital root retention in humans: an interim report

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Prosthodontics
• Oral Surgery

Background:

• Vital root retention for overdenture support is a developing area in prosthodontics.
• Previous research in laboratory animals established a protocol for this procedure.
• Adaptations in surgical and prosthodontic management were explored in human subjects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and outcomes of a protocol for retaining vital tooth roots for overdenture support in human patients.
• To assess the vitality of submerged roots and associated bone levels.
• To investigate modifications in surgical and prosthodontic techniques compared to prior studies.

Main Methods:

• A protocol for submucosal burial of vital tooth roots was applied to ten patients.
• Forty-five vital teeth were prepared and buried submucosally under complete overdentures.
• Patient follow-up included monitoring tooth vitality, pulpal response, and interproximal bone loss.

Main Results:

• Out of 45 submerged roots, 37 remained vital after a mean follow-up of 11.1 months.
• Seven teeth required endodontic treatment due to pulpal response; one tooth was extracted.
• A mean interproximal bone loss of 1.1 mm was observed.

Conclusions:

• The submucosal retention of vital tooth roots shows potential for overdenture support in humans.
• Modifications including maxillary tooth use and root canal therapy expanded the research scope.
• Further long-term follow-up is necessary to fully assess the longevity and success of this technique.