AN INVESTIGATION OF REPLANTATION OF TRAUMATICALLY AVULSED PERMANENT INCISOR TEETH

The success of treatment of 46 replanted, avulsed permanent incisors in 36 children was investigated in relation to some of the factors which have been reported to affect prognosis. Treatment was considered to have been successful if the tooth was still present in the mouth and required no further treatment. If more treatment was necessary, the outcome was considered to be uncertain, while if the tooth had been lost a failure was recorded. Treatment was considered to be successful for 21 teeth, uncertain for 20 teeth and a failure for 5 teeth. A significant relationship was found between success and the method of storing the avulsed tooth, with milk, saliva or saline being the best media. No relationship was demonstrated between the time the avulsed tooth was out of the mouth and success. Root resorption was the most frequent complication of replantation and occurred in 24 teeth. However, no significant relationship between resorption and the time that the avulsed tooth was out of the mouth was demonstrated.