Management of an avulsed primary incisor.

The case describes the management of an avulsed maxillary central primary incisor of a 3 1/2-year-old girl. The tooth was retained in the oral cavity for 30 min. After replantation it was splinted for 17 days. At day 11 the root canal was completely instrumented and obturated with a calcium hydroxide paste. The 1-year follow-up documented no pathologic clinical or radiographic findings. One and a half years after the trauma the tooth was extracted since a fistula and extensive external inflammatory resorption had developed. The permanent successor erupted along with its neighboring central incisor without any complications 6 months later. Conventional approaches for treating avulsed permanent teeth could also be applied to avulsed primary incisors to preserve them for a certain period without the additional risk of damaging their developing permanent successors.