Autogenous tooth transplantation: an alternative to dental implant placement?

Autogenous tooth transplantation, or autotransplantation, is the surgical movement of a tooth from one location in the mouth to another in the same individual. Once thought to be experimental, autotransplantation has achieved high success rates and is an excellent option for tooth replacement. Although the indications for autotransplantation are narrow, careful patient selection coupled with an appropriate technique can lead to exceptional esthetic and functional results. One advantage of this procedure is that placement of an implant-supported prosthesis or other form of prosthetic tooth replacement is not needed. This article highlights the indications for autogenous tooth transplantation using 3 case reports as examples. A review of the recommended surgical technique as well as success rates are also discussed.