REPLANTATION OF AVULSED PERMANENT TEETH WITH AVITAL PERIODONTAL LIGAMENTS - CASE-REPORT

Five maxillary anterior teeth lost during a grand mal epileptic seizur e, were replanted using the technique recently described by Andreasen (1), after an extra-alveolar period of more than 72 h. The teeth were replanted surgically, 10 days after being avulsed, after they had been immersed in a 2.4% sodium fluoride solution and root filled with gutt a-percha. Ankylosis was evident 3 months post-operatively. After 24 mo nths there was evidence of considerable replacement resorption on the lateral incisors with little evidence of resorption on the other repla nted teeth. Even though the long term prognosis is uncertain, this tec hnique has an advantage of seeing the patient through the period of gr owth as well as maintaining the height of alveolar bone making possibl e the provision of an aesthetically acceptable prosthesis at a later a ge.