This retrospective study evaluated the therapeutic effects of the intentional replantation (IR) procedure performed on the maxillary and mandibular molars of 35 patients.
For the subjects, IR was performed due to difficulties in anatomically accessing the lesions and/or close proximity to the thick cortical bone, inferior alveolar nerve, or maxillary sinus, which rendered the ordinary periradicular surgery impossible. The patients' progress was followed for a year and up to 2 years and 4 months. The success of the procedure was evaluated in terms of clinical and radiographic success (%).
The results revealed the following: (a) 1 case (3%) of failed tooth extraction during IR; (b) 2 cases (6%) of extraction due to periodontal diseases and inflammatory root resorption; (c) 3 cases (9%) of normally functioning teeth in the oral cavity with minor mobility and apical root resorption, and; (d) 29 cases (82%) of normally functioning teeth without obvious problems.
IR was confirmed to be a reliably repeatable, predictable treatment option for those who cannot receive conventional periradicular surgery because of anatomic limitations or patient factors.