The Dilemma of Delayed Replantation of an Avulsed Tooth-Case Presentation

Dental avulsion is one of the most severe forms of dental trauma, often requiring urgent intervention. The prognosis of replantation depends heavily on the extraoral time and the storage conditions of the avulsed tooth. This study is aimed at presenting and analyzing a clinical case of delayed replantation of a maxillary central incisor in a prepubertal patient, highlighting the therapeutic decisions, challenges, and long-term outcomes. A 14-year-old patient suffered avulsion of two maxillary incisors during a sports accident. One tooth was recovered 22 h posttrauma and stored in milk before replantation. Endodontic treatment was performed ex vivo, and the tooth was replanted 30 h after the incident. Despite initial clinical success, radiographic signs of inflammatory root resorption were observed at the 1-year follow-up. This case demonstrates that although delayed replantation carries a high risk of complications such as root resorption and ankylosis, it remains a viable option, especially in young patients due to its role in preserving alveolar bone and mitigating psychological and esthetic impacts.