Root resorption associated with autotransplanted maxillary canine teeth.

A brief review of the published results of autotransplanting maxillary canine teeth has been presented together with the results of a prospective study in which 141 maxillary canine teeth were surgically repositioned in 113 patients, but not root-treated unless resorption occurred. Attention was given to assessing factors (age, sex, tooth positions, surgical difficulty, time out of mouth, acute infection, periodontal disease, caries, occlusion, formation of lamina dura) associated with root resorption of the transplanted teeth but no particular factor of significance emerged. It has been speculated that early post-operative root canal treatment and/or a two-stage technique might reduce the incidence of root resorption of autotransplanted teeth.