Prognostic Factors for Clinical Outcomes in Autotransplantation of Teeth with Complete Root Formation: Survival Analysis for up to 12 Years

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Tooth autotransplantation is a treatment option that has the potential to restore masticatory function and esthetics to edentulous spaces resulting from extracted teeth. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic factors and clinical outcomes for autotransplanted teeth with complete root formation. METHODS: Patients who had received tooth autotransplantation in the Department of Conservative Dentistry, Yonsei University Dental Hospital, Seoul, Korea, from July 2001 to August 2010 were electronically searched, and a total of 105 cases of autotransplanted teeth met the inclusion criteria. Tooth survival, inflammatory root resorption (IRR), ankylosis, and related prognostic factors were assessed by using the survival analysis that was based on clinical and radiographic examination. RESULTS: The cumulative tooth survival rate was 68.2% at 12 years after the tooth autotransplantation. According to the Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, patient age, donor position, and extraoral time were significantly associated with tooth survival (P < .05). Donor extraction type was significantly associated with IRR (P < .05), and transplantation timing and initial stability were significantly associated with ankylosis (P < .05) CONCLUSIONS: Patients less than 45 years of age, maxillary donor teeth, and an extraoral time of less than 15 minutes were associated with significantly higher tooth survival. Surgical extraction of the donor tooth was associated with a significantly higher incidence of IRR. Immediate transplantation after the extraction of the recipient site's tooth and low initial stability were associated with a significantly lower incidence of ankylosis.