Transplantation of displaced and dilacerated anterior teeth.

The therapy of dilacerated permanent anterior teeth usually involves surgically removing the tooth. Subsequently, orthodontic methods for closing the space or keeping it open are preferred until the patient reaches an age when definitive implantological or prosthetic treatments may be used. Anterior tooth transplantation should be considered as an alternative to surgically extracting the tooth. This study describes a period of investigation covering 3 years during which neither replacement resorption nor inflammatory resorption was diagnosed in the five transplanted teeth. The clinical tooth mobility was similar to that of the adjacent teeth. In spite of the vertical loss of bone shown radiographically no pathologically enlarged pockets or recessions have been found. It is not yet possible to make any comments on the prognosis for the long term.