Clinical Efficacy of CBCT and 3D-Printed Replicas in Molar Autotransplantation: A Controlled Clinical Trial

To evaluate the efficacy of the combined cone-beam (CBCT)/3D-replicas protocol on the clinical and radiographic outcomes of autotransplanted molars.

Controlled clinical trial registered ISRCTN13563091 from August 2019 to September 2022. Patients aged 13-22 years requiring permanent premolar extraction and having at least one non-erupted third molar were enrolled at the Institute of Stomatology, Stradins University, Riga, Latvia. Patients in the 3D-replicas (n = 30) underwent maxillary CBCT scans and had 3D-printed replicas of the third molar fabricated, while the control group (n = 28) did not. The clinical outcomes included tooth mobility, bleeding on probing, and periodontal pocket depth assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months. The radiographic outcomes included root development, obliteration, periapical status, and crown changes at 12 months.

Of the 55 patients assigned to interventions, 46 completed the study. No significant differences in survival and radiographic outcomes were found between the control (n = 22) and 3D-replica group (n = 24): root development (p = 0.3), root resorption (p = 0.057), periapical status (p = 0.7), and crown/root ratio change (p = 0.4). Logistic regression showed no significant associations between radiologic predictors (root resorption: p = 0.4; periapical status: p > 0.9; root development: p = 0.8). Significant clinical outcome predictors included total operative time (β = 0.0043, p = 0.049), Moorrees' stage (stage 4: β = -0.31, p < 0.001; stage 5: β = -0.39, p < 0.001), and four donor placement times (β = 0.93, p < 0.001), but group assignment was not a significant predictor.

The CBCT/3D-replica protocol showed no significant differences in the clinical or radiological outcomes. The high success rates in both groups suggest that the protocol is valuable primarily for optimizing surgical efficiency and as a training tool for clinicians.