A study of replanted permanent teeth in different age groups.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the benefits of replanting avulsed permanent teeth in different age groups. Of the 112 replanted teeth, 103 could be examined after 2.5 years on average. The teeth were divided into three groups: immature teeth (group A), mature teeth in children and adolescents (group B), and mature teeth in adults (group C). Concomitant injuries did not differ statistically between the groups. Extra-alveolar time with unphysiologic storage was longer than 15 min in 81 teeth. The results were statistically different for pulpal healing (A >> B > C), loss of marginal bone (C > A), amount of replacement resorption (A and B > C), alveolar growth inhibition (A > B >> C), local gingivitis (B > A and C) and buccal gingival retraction (C > A and B). Only 3 of 23 extracted teeth were lost because of replacement resorption alone. Only 2 of the 23 extracted teeth showed revascularization of the pulp. The results suggested that replanting avulsed teeth should be considered a temporary solution in children and adolescents. In these patients, the benefit of tooth replantation is mainly the time gained to establish an optimal treatment plan. Mature teeth with a necrotic periodontal ligament replanted in children before the pubertal growth spurt seemed to have the poorest prognosis.